


The Fifth Fiancée

by GokuGirl



Category: Dragon Ball, Ranma 1/2
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, F/M, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2000-10-18
Updated: 2003-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-09 17:50:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 37,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5549777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GokuGirl/pseuds/GokuGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Goku promised Pan to Ranma long ago and now Genma is acting on it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapters 11-15 were written by Sakura-chan (sakura_chan@email.com) after I gave up on this story. I haven't altered any chapter from the original.
> 
> Trunks is 14 years older than Pan, 12 years older than Bra, 1 year older than Goten, and 3 years older than Marron. Gohan is 8 years older than Trunks, 14 years younger than ChiChi, and 15 years younger than Goku. Both Veggie and Bulma are older than Goku and ChiChi but I've never gotten an approximate. Just say that Bulma is about 4 years older than ChiChi, Veggie is 6 years older than ChiChi while he is 2 years older than Bulma.
> 
> Warning: My Ranma 1/2 knowledge is based on the dub. I also use the incorrect term for female fiancée (fiancé) throughout the story even though the title is spelled correctly.
> 
> ~~~ = flashback, 'blah' = thoughts, *blah* = emphasis, = things written on signs

"You did * _what_ *?!" Both Pan and her parents exclaimed in unison. It was late in the afternoon and all three members of that branch of Sons had gone over to Goku and ChiChi's house while ChiChi was out shopping; by the elder Son's request.

"His story was just so convincing!" Goku said in his defense. "I didn't want his poor son to be brideless forever." Then the saiyan began to recount the meeting in length while the other three listened intently.

"I had met Genma twelve years ago at the 28th Tenkaichi Budoukai and while waiting for our matches, we began to talk about our children; as most parents do..."

~~~

"Goku, would you agree to an arranged marriage for one of your children? I mean, it would be easier..." the stout, bald man began almost innocently. He wore a white gi with a black belt as well as a blue scarf on his head. Pushing his glasses back onto his nose with one finger, Saotome Genma waited patiently for a response.

Goku frowned in thought. "Well, I don't know. That seems a little unfair to the child to me."

Genma was prepared for this one. "Ah! But would you like your daughter -- if you had one -- to marry someone that you thought would treat her unfairly? If you picked the groom, there would be no problem."

Goku nodded in understanding at the man's logic but had to protest one more time. "But I don't have a daughter!"

Genma mock frowned and wiped away an imaginary tear. "A niece or young cousin then? I'm really counting on someone for my Ranma and I trust that your family is a good one."

Goku thought for a moment and then he brightened. "I have a granddaughter! Her name is Son Pan and she's five right now."

"That's good!" Genma grinned. "She is the same age as my Ranma!"

"Oh there she is now!" Goku rose from his seat and began to scream at the little girl in the ring. "Go Panny-chan!"

Genma followed his gaze and was shocked to see the small girl going up against a rather large and ugly warrior. "That's Pan?! Won't she get hurt?!" ' _Then she won't be able to marry Ranma!_ ' he added silently to himself.

"Nah," Goku grinned. "Watch!"

The two contestants lunged at each and a thick cloud of dust rose. When it cleared, Pan was standing on top of the man's broken body smiling happily.

Genma flinched reflexively as he imagined the pain that little child must have caused. "Ooo, that must've hurt." He turned to Goku and held out a hand. "So, do we have a deal then?"

Goku nodded. "Hai. When they're old enough, Pan-chan will marry your Ranma."

Genma's eyes gleamed behind his glasses. ' _Good, good._ '

~~~

Gohan frowned thoughtfully as the tale came to a close. "Tousan, it sounds like he tricked you."

"Yeah!" Pan joined in. "What if this Ranma guy is butt ugly?"

"Pan, you know better than that!" Videl scolded. "Goku-san, how could you engage our daughter without our consent?!"

Gohan raised an eyebrow as he thought of a good question. "What age did you two agree on?"

"Tousan!" Pan exclaimed. "Are you going along with this?"

"Iie," Gohan shook his head. "I just wanted to know."

Goku began to think. "Hmmm. I think it was 15? Or was it 16? Hai! It was 16!" Then his jaw dropped. "Uh oh."

"I'm 16 now!" Pan wailed. "I don't wanna get married! I'm too young for my life to end!" She jumped up from the table and ran to the front door. Throwing it open, she ran out into the rain and took off into the horizon.

Videl jumped up immediately to go after her but Gohan's hand on her arm halted her.

"Let her go. She has a lot to think about." Videl sat back down and clasped her hands on the table.

"Now Tousan, is there anything else you need to tell us?" his son asked seriously.

"Well," Goku began and the story went on.

***

Pan's anger had cooled off a bit as she raised her ki slightly to evaporate the dampness from the passing storm that had accumulated. As she walked down the streets of Satan City, she started at a faint noise that seemed to be coming from the bushes surrounding a nearby building. Pan paused to listen, and noticed that it sounded familiar.

It was the sound of someone sneezing repeatedly.

Pan raised an eyebrow at the high-pitched sound. She was about to just continue on when she felt a brief pang of guilt for not at least attempting to help.

Finally she shrugged and walked over to the bushes.

"Hello? Are you okay back there?" she called out as she came closer. The sound continued for a few moments more until a head tentatively poked itself up.

It was a girl about her age with her brilliant red hair done back in a single braid and she had bright blue eyes that a glittered in the pale sunlight. She stood then, her Chinese style red shirt, black pants and black shoes stained with mud from the storm.

Sneezing one last time, she held out a hand and smiled. "Yo! I'm Ranma Saotome and you are?"

***

"Kaasan! Tousan! Ojiisan!" Pan flung the door open wide while dragging inside the struggling girl by the collar. "We have a problem."

The three adults in question looked up at the sight.

"Pan," Videl began a little hesitantly, "who is your friend."

"This," The black haired girl dropped the red haired one down in the chair opposite Goku. "Is Ranma Saotome."

The three at the table exchanged looks and burst out into wild laughter. "Are you serious?" Goku gasped out.

The look on Pan's face basically said it all.

Goku leaned across the table to poke at Ranma's chest. After the third poke Ranma got fed up and started to yell.

"Would ya quit that?!"

Gohan looked her over and spoke. "What in the world happened to you?"

That was when the door opened again and a large, chubby panda came bouncing in.

"A panda...?" Videl said weakly. "In Japan?"

Ranma snorted as she crossed her arms. "That's just the old man." She looked up hopefully. "By any chance would you happen to have some hot water?"

After the pair were doused and the shock wore off, Ranma and Genma went into the retelling of their woe-filled story.

~~~

Ranma and his father dropped their packs on the shore of the legendary cursed springs of the Jusenkyo training ground. As they leaped toward the bamboo poles that jutted out of the water, the frantic guide tried to stop them from making a terrible mistake.

"Sirs! You no do that! Springs very cursed!"

But the two just ignored him. Both martial artists lunged for each other, each landing on another pole. The second time they went for each other, Ranma landed a powerful blow to his father that sent him hurtling toward one of the cold pools. Suddenly a black blur leapt from the water and landed on the pole opposite Ranma.

The boy pointed his mouth open wide and sputtered out something in a shocked voice.

"Wha- What the hell is that?!"

"Oh too bad!" The Guide shook his head sadly. "He fall in Shonmaoniichuan, or Spring of Drowned Panda. Panda died there two-thousand year ago. Very tragic tale. Now whoever fall in take form of dead panda."

Ranma, still stunned, never saw the clawed paw coming until he was falling into yet another one of those cursed springs. Spitting out water, he looked himself over and let out a scream.

The guide just clicked his tongue. "Too bad for you too. Sir fall in Nyanniichuan, or Spring of Drowned Girl. Girl drown there one-thousand, five hundred year ago. Very tragic tale. Now whoever fall in, take on form of drowned girl."

Ranma closed his eyes and felt into his gi. Cracking open an eye he screamed again as he sighted his new pair of breasts.

The guide shook his head again. "Too bad for you sirs. Too bad for you."

~~~

"... and that's the whole story," Genma finished sadly.

There was silence for a few minutes until Pan broke it by laughing loudly albeit happily.

"This means I'm off the hook! I don't have to marry the little idiot!"

"HEY!" Ranma protested loudly.

Gohan held up his hand for silence. Turning to Genma he spoke in a barely controlled voice. "What I don't understand is why you tricked my father into this arranged marriage idea of yours."

The dark haired boy still sitting across from Goku jumped to his feet. "What the hell did you do now Pop?!" He shouted.

The others blinked in confusion, even Gohan.

"What?" Videl asked. "You didn't know?"

Ranma narrowed his eyes and forced out between clenched teeth. "He never tells me these things."

Gohan turned to the boys scheming father. "Saotome-san, what do you have to say for yourself?"

He was met with the panda rolling a brightly colored beach ball around with his feet. Genma quickly scrawled on a sign and held it up, <I'm just an ordinary panda!> Everyone facevaulted.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anything that's completely spoken in Chinese goes between these { }.

{You are aware of the Amazon rules and you know what you must do,} Cologne said quietly a day after the incident at the tournament. It was customary for one going on a mission to restore her honor to be questioned by a loved one.

{Yes, Great-grandmother. Fully aware.}

{Are you prepared for your journey?} she asked.

{I am. I leave tomorrow at dawn. I will not return until my honor has been restored by penalty of death,} Shampoo nodded as she gathered her things.

Cologne smiled gently and patted Shampoo on the head. "Good girl," she said in Japanese. "Do you know the language of the land?"

It took the girl a moment to translate and then she nodded. "But I may need brush up."

"Hai," the old woman said. "It is sort of broken."

As the sun sank below the horizon, Shampoo went to bed feeling more determined than she had in a while.

Ranma was going to pay and pay dearly.

The next day met the small girl, already awake and on the trail. She wiped a few beads of sweat from her brow and readjusted the large sword in the scabbard on her back.

Defeat and Shampoo were not to be taken lightly. This was the first time someone had ever dared to beat her and it was an outsider at that.

This simply would not do.

Raising her head high she made a promise to the sky.

"Ranma Saotome, you I kill!"

***

"Tousan, isn't that * _boy_ *," Akane Tendo spat this out with distaste, "supposed to be here soon?"

Soun nodded. "Hai Akane dear. He is."

"You know I still don't agree to you do this without my permission!"

"Akane," Nabiki drawled, "daddy went to all of this trouble to arrange this for you. The least you can do is thank him."

Akane slammed her hands on the table and instantly got angry. "Thank him?! For what?"

Then her older sister leaned in and began to whisper. "I can change his mind for eleven hundred yen. Take it or leave it."

Akane shot her an annoyed look before she stood from the living room table. "Is money all you think about Nabiki?" As the girl in question shrugged Akane turned to her father. "Listen Tousan, I'm going on a little trip to see Ranma Saotome. Don't expect me back any time soon."

Tears began to pool in Soun Tendo's eyes as he gazed upon his youngest daughter. "So does that mean you're going to marry him?"

She snorted. "Hell no! I'm just going to teach him that no one screws with Akane Tendo and gets away with it!"

The other three groaned. "I should have known," her father said.

Running to her room, she grabbed a large backpack from her closet and began to fill it with an odd assortment of things. Clothes, a brush, spare ribbons in case she lost the one currently on her hair; things like that. Topping it all off with a two large maps of Japan and China she was finally ready to be on her way.

Opening her bedroom door, she was surprised to find Kasumi and Nabiki there waiting for her.

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" asked an extremely worried Kasumi. "I mean, it can be worked out at home..."

Akane hugged her hand and walked down the hall. "It must be done."

Her sister nodded and stepped away. Now it was Nabiki's turn to speak.

"I just want to ask you something," she said.

Akane threw her an impatient look and the other girl continued.

"Are you sure that you don't want any canned food? I don't want you to die of food poisoning from your own cooking..." As her sister's temper flared, she continued to highlight a deal. "You know what? I'll give you ten packages of instant ramen for only 700 yen. I'm sure that even * _you_ * can't mess that up."

Growling she turned and began to shout. "Fine it Nabiki! Don't wish me well!" She took off running for the stairs and was intercepted by her father.

"Tousan," she sighed. "Let me go!"

"I am," Soun said. "I just wanted a souvenir!"

"Me too Akane!" Kasumi called from the stairs. "We're running out of tea...."

Growling a second time, she threw a disgusted look in their general direction. "I'm going! Sayonara!" She slammed the door shut and then opened again as inspiration struck her. "And I'm going to catch and cook my own food too!" Nodding in certainty she slammed it again, this time the sheer force of it shook the entire house and knocked pictures and small ornaments from the walls.

Both Soun and the girls winced slightly at the impact. A large crack went up the wooden door frame and stopped right below the top. Sighting deeply, her father went to go get some tools.

"That's going to need repairing." Nabiki and Kasumi nodded. "But first, let us have some tea shall we?" Both girls facevaulted.

***

Ryouga Hibiki knocked on the door of a house. He had been walking for quite some time now and he needed a little help. As the door opened, he launched into an oft repeated plea.

"I'm lost. Can I get directions to Tokyo?"

The little old lady peered at him behind wire spectacles. "Eh boy? Don't follow directions too well do ya? I told you it was that way!" She pointed to her right.

Ryouga just nodded and immediately turned in the opposite direction. "Arigatou," he said as he walked off.

The old woman sighed. "That boy. He'll be back. I know for sure."

***

Ukyou Kuonji ran swiftly up the dirt road toward her destination. Her long brown hair was pulled back out of her face with a white ribbon and she had an arsenal of mini-spatulas that she had in a holster across her front. Dressed in men's clothes, even indistinguishable from a man, she had a large spatula -- a family heirloom -- on the holster strapped to her back. Ukyou had begun searching as soon as she could from the time Genma Saotome had abandoned her by the side of the road as he ran off with her dowry. As she thought of the many ways she was going to break every bone in their body, she didn't see the dark haired boy as she ran into him. Down they both went, the boy on his back and Ukyou on top of him.

"Gomen nasai," she apologized as she helped him up. The boy, dressed in black pants yellow shirt complete with a yellow and black headband, just nodded faintly as he brushed himself off. Ukyou, really not willing to travel alone, grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"My name is Kuonji Ukyou," she smiled as she held our her hand. "Where are you headed?"

Ryouga clasped her outstretched hand briefly as he looked back down the way he had been headed. It was a split trail, three different paths headed north, east, and west, and was going toward the west one. "I am Hibiki Ryouga. Tokyo is my destination." That said, he started on his way again.

"Uh excuse me!" She called out to him. "Did you say that you were going to Tokyo?"

He shot an impatient look at the girl and nodded. "Hai," he replied shortly.

"But you're headed the wrong way!"

Pausing, he blinked large confused eyes at her. "Really? Can you help me then sir?"

As Ukyou smiled secretly that she still could trick people, she nodded curtly. "Let's go. I need to kill that Ranma Saotome!"

Ryouga stared in astonishment and started to smile. "Me too! That dishonorable cur!"

The girl let out a battle cry that prompted Ryouga to answer with one of his one of his own. She took off toward the east and made sure to reach back and drag her newfound friend along as he promptly turned south.

***

They had arrived early to school that day. But not early enough for Pan who always made sure to leave at least twenty minutes before because anything could happen from an alien attack to Goten stealing all of their food. Ranma and his father had received the guest room because something came up that changed Pan's whole life in one brief conversation.

~~~

"Tousan! Can we please just forget about this stupid marriage Ojiisan came up with?" she pleaded.

Gohan shook his head and sighed. "It's not that easy. If we do something like that, our honor would be at stake here. You, I, and Tousan would be accused of backing out of the deal that was made with Saotome-san. It just wouldn't be right."

Pan smiled slyly. "But Saotome-san tricked you guys."

Gohan just smirked right back. "Then we get to prove just how honorable the Sons really are."

Pan groaned. Life just wasn't at all fair.

~~~

"Honor," the girl spat out. "Is a lot like pride. Too much is bad for you."

Ranma looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Did you say something?"

"Iie," Pan said mock cheerfully. "It wasn't important."

She walked him to the principal's office and showed him in. "Here," she began. "Get your schedule and we'll meet up in the cafeteria later on. I made sure that you had the first lunch."

"Hey, thanks a lot!" Ranma said happily in the anticipation of food. "I really appreciate it!"

She smiled, a real one this time, and waved as she went off to her locker. "Just don't get into trouble, okay?"

He nodded as she disappeared.

Pan made it to homeroom with time to spare. As she chatted with all of her friends she didn't noticed Ranma come in, that is until all of the other girls started to squeal.

"Ooo!" One girl, a blond said, as she eyed him. "What a hottie!"

"He's mine!" Another proclaimed loudly. "So back off before you get hurt!"

Pan looked curiously at the crowd of females blocking her view of the front of the classroom. "What is going on?" she asked.

"Pan-chan the finest boy just walked into the classroom!" Her friend Mika said happily. "He's right over there!"

So Pan rose from her desk and moved to the wall of girls. Levitating slightly so make up for her short stature, she finally got a peek at who they were talking about.

She never thought, in a million years, that it would be Ranma.

"Who * _him_ *?" She snorted. "He's nothing special."

That was when the world became silent. Even the boys stopped talking in anticipation to what would come next.

In the mean time, Ranma was trying to navigate the sea of females. He thought that he recognized that voice. "Uh hello? Can I get by please?"

"Son Pan," Marita, the blond from before, said in disgust. "What is with you? Every guy who has tried to date you end up getting hurt and you talk about them all the time! You dress like one, talk like one, and act like one too. I'm sorry but I'm starting to think that you don't like boys at all. That you're a--"

"Don't say it!" Mika warned. She hated the sight of blood.

"a lesbian," Marita finished smugly. That was all the confirmation that Pan needed. Throwing a lightning fast right, she aimed for the girl's unblemished face...

And her fist was caught a second before it reached it's destination.

Pan blinked in confusion. "Nani?" Nobody in that school was fast enough to stop her.

This boy was another story.

Ranma stood there, on her right side, with her hand in a grip that even * _she_ * couldn't break.

"What's the deal?!" She yelled at him. "Let my hand go so I can use it to knock some sense into that slut over there!" The haughty expression on the other girls' face only increased in intensity as Ranma stood between her and possible death.

A larger crowd than before had formed as they all waited to see what would happen.

"Pan, why don't you let this one go?" he asked. "I'm sure that she regrets it."

Marita opened her mouth to protest as her two friends both covered it. "Hai," the one on the right said. "She sure does."

"It'll never happen again Pan-sama!" the other said as well. They both bowed respectively and hurried to their seats.

That was when the bell rang and the teacher arrived.

Pan and Ranma, unbeknownst to the other, sighed and thought the same thing in unison. "I hope nothing else happens!"

Oh, this was just the beginning.

***

"Saotome-san and Son-san, this is the last time I will tell you to stop playing around!" The geometry teacher said, annoyed. "One more and it's the hall for you!"

It was their third hour, right before lunch, and they were having a hard time paying attention as the teacher droned on and on about cubes and triangles.

Two heads snapped back to the front of the room and two heads both nodded in unison. "Hai, Genou-sensei!"

So the math teacher went back to doing what he did the best and Ranma and Pan went back to making faces at each other.

First Pan stuck out her tongue and gave him the finger with he also returned. Pulling down one eyelid, he blew a raspberry that almost set the girl off.

She just smirked and balled up a piece of paper and threw it at him. He dodged nimbly and they mini war went on.

After 10 minutes of paper tossing, face making, and stray ammo the teacher finally noticed them again.

"RANMA! PAN! Into the hall!"

They soon found themselves outside, with two * _very_ * full buckets of water on each arm.

"This is all your fault!" Ranma hissed loudly.

Pan jerked her head at the large windows that looked into the room, a motion to lower his voice. "You're the one who got all those girls to gawk at you!"

Ranma glared hard. "What is your problem? Ever since I moved in with you guys you've been acting evil!"

That's when Pan got loud. "I NEVER ASKED FOR A FIANCÉ! MY GRANDFATHER AND YOUR FATHER ARRANGED IT, REMEMBER!"

Ranma shouted back just as loudly. "YOU ACT LIKE IT'S MY FAULT! I DON'T WANNA MARRY SOMEONE AS UGLY AS YOU!"

That was when all hell broke loose.

Kids poured out of every classroom on that floor, either shouting out congratulations (the girls) or angry challenges (the boys). Pan stopped the whole congregation with just one sentence.

"SHUT UP AND GO AWAY!"

They all fled as fast as their legs could carry them. All except one foolish boy.

"Son Pan," he cried. "Ai shiteru!"

A fist silenced his words. Backing away, he turned tail and ran like the coward he truly was.

"Do you want to take this outside?" Pan asked rudely. "I've been itching to hurt someone all day."

"Fine by me," Ranma answered. "Let's go!"

They both ran toward the stairs with the other students following a little more quietly.


	3. Chapter 3

The large city of Tokyo, Japan glittered brightly with the many lights that illuminated that streets and pathways. Even at night, the metropolis was a bustling center of activity. On a small back street on the northeast side, there was a shopping district. It wasn't a very large one but it suited the needs of the people who lived in that neighborhood very well. So well in fact that the word spread to even outside the confines of the city and attracted people from all over.

So it was natural that Akane Tendo was drawn to that very place.

The colorful paper lanterns cheered up the area and shown down on the natives that browsed the many wares. There were also plenty of tourists for variation as well.

Akane browsed all of the merchandise in considerable interest. It was too bad that she had a limited amount of money or she would be in heaven.

Stopping herself from lingering too long at a ramen stand, she promptly turned her thoughts to ones of Ranma.

Ranma Saotome. What a horrible name.

She dug around in her pockets for a snapshot of the boy that Genma had sent to her father so that she could ask around. He had to have come here at least once. Most people do.

"Excuse me!" She bellowed almost politely. "Do you know this boy?"

The bald man behind the stand peered at the picture and then shook his head. "Nope. Never seen him before in my life."

"Thanks anyway." He nodded and she moved on. Repeating the process, she got two no's, three maybes, and one pickup line. That loser was swiftly dealt with.

She exhaled noisily, a sound that was quickly lost in the crowd.

"Has * _anyone_ * seen Ranma Saotome?!"

***

Ryouga's head jerked up from where he was shoveling in ramen at an incredible speed. Noodles dangling from his mouth, he looked all about him, searching for the source of that shout. Ukyou noticed him doing that and started to ask why.

They were both at a sidewalk café on near the end of the famous shopping district. Stopping only for a few minutes, the smells soon got to them and they found themselves eating as well. Both "boys" didn't mind. The food was great.

"Shh," he whispered. "I'm positive they'll yell it again."

The girl shot him a quizzical look and listened intently for a moment. Finally shrugging, she went back to sating her hunger.

Ryouga strained to pick up any trace of the shouted question, but none was too be found. In the end shrugging as well, he also went back to eating.

"RANMA SAOTOME! YOU I KILL!"

This caused Ryouga to drop his chopsticks with a clatter and jumped to his feet. "Ranma? Where is that coward?!"

Ukyou got to her feet too. "Where is he?" Bringing her large spatula from her back, she held it in front of her like a sword. "He's gonna pay!"

And then, without even leaving money for the bill, they set off toward the noise.

"HEY!!" The owner of the restaurant screamed at them. "Come back here with my money!" Flinging his apron to the ground, he ran off after them.

The chase was on.

***

"I don't know why you had to come along," Pan grumbled as she readjusted the knapsack on her back. "I can handle myself fine."

The two were walking along a busy and crowded street heading for the shopping district. It was a couple of days after the incident at school and for some reason, both Gohan and Goku insisted that Ranma come along on her trip into the big city. Even ChiChi, after she had gotten over being mad at the fact that she was the last to know about the engagement, encouraged it as well. It was supposed to promote, as her mother called it, "friendship". But Pan didn't know if she could ever be friends with an annoying, chauvinistic boy like him.

"I know, I know," Ranma grumbled while rolling his eyes. "You're one-fourth saiyan. I still don't get that explanation but I'm not sure that I really care."

"Oh really?!" she said. "You were just lucky that the lunch bell had rung yesterday or I would have shown you what a true saiyan was capable of!"

It was true. Right when they had reached the large field that were the home to her usual training and sparring grounds, the school bell had made it's presence known. Her stomach rumbling, she nearly knocked the pig-tailed boy over in her haste to get some food. It just added another thing to Ranma's endless list of insults.

"If you weren't such a pig," he made an ugly face at her, "then we would of had a great fight!" Making mock ears with his index fingers, he started to snort. "Oink! Oink! Oink!"

"Well," she retorted, "if you knew how to fly, you wouldn't have to be seen being carried by a girl!"

The boy blushed slightly at that. "I'm going to learn one day! Son-san is going to teach me!"

She cocked her head curiously at him. "Which one?"

"Your father."

She began to laugh at that, long and loud. "I'd love to see that one!" Picturing it perfectly in her mind, she broke out into yet another round of laughter. Finally reaching the store that she wanted, she opened the door and proceeded to go in, Ranma trailing behind her.

"Why?!" he asked as he blocked her path. "What's so wrong about it?"

She pushed him aside and moved to a rack of clothes. As she sifted through the nondescript tee-shirts -- just her style -- she answered him with a barely suppressed humor. "His... technique," she answered finally, "is different from my Ojiisan's, that's all. Actually, it's almost exactly like Piccolo-san's."

"Piccolo-san?"

She nodded as she chose some shirts. "My Tousan's sensei. He's a Namekseijin." She moved to a new rack, one that contained jeans this time, and also began to look.

Ranma raised a brow at the strange ethnicity but then shook his head. "What's so bad about the way your father teaches?"

She didn't answer him for a moment as she browsed and at first Ranma thought that she hadn't heard him. Just when he was about to repeat his question, she moved to the checkout counter and asked another question. "How do you feel about cliff faces?"

A blank look was her only response.

She chuckled slightly as she reached into her pocket for money to pay the young cashier. "Well, you're going to be dropped from them so I just thought I would ask."

Nodding absently, he began to look around the store. It took a few moments, but the girl finally receiving the reaction she was expecting.

"NANI?!"

Giggling she grabbed her bags. "That's how I learned. At least Tousan will catch you if it doesn't work the first time."

The thought of splattering against the earth did * _not_ * appeal to the boy. He was still thinking about it when he noticed that Pan had gone outside again. "Hey! Wait up!"

In a moments impulse, he looked back toward the store's sign. Snickering slightly he prepared an insult.

"Yo Pan! Now I know why your clothes are so ugly!" She glanced back. "You shop at the thrift store!"

Snorting she continued forward. "Yeah, so? What's your excuse?" As she stepped from the curb somehow she ended up tripping. Trying to balance herself, she leaned forward too far and headed face first toward the street. Ranma just casually reach out, grabbed the back of her shirt, and set her back upright.

Turning quickly, she examined Ranma's face closely for any sign of teasing. There was none. Nodding in satisfaction, she smiled slightly. "Arigatou. I owe you."

That was when the huge grin broke out on his face. "Sure you do... KLUTZ!"

"RANMA!" She screamed as he ran off. "OMAE O KOROSU[1]!!" A frown settling on her features, she took off after him at full speed.

***

Shampoo admired the nice jewelry laid out on a display table. She thought that just looking couldn't hurt and as long as she didn't return in shame, it would be okay to relax. After all, it had taken her this long to track the boy down. How big of a difference could ten minutes make?

Slipping the beaded thing onto her slim wrist, she admired it a bit before she pulled out enough money to pay. Suddenly her honed warrior senses kicked in and she looked up, observant.

It felt as if her goal was in reach. The girl's purple eyes brightened in anticipation. Her mission for revenge could finally be completed.

Dropping * _way_ * more than enough to pay for the bracelet, she began to walk quickly down the street in the direction that her gut was pointing her in.

Nothing got past the small, purple haired girl as she walked down the street. She thought she saw a bright red patch of hair in a distant crowd and that was enough to set her off. Creeping up to the girl quietly, she raised the large weapon high.

"RANMA SAOTOME! YOU I KILL!"

The girl turned around, frightened, and she instantly saw that it wasn't a girl at all.

The fierce expression on her face softened some and she abruptly apologized. "Shampoo sorry. Thought you Ranma."

The freckled boy shot her a quizzical look then shrugged. "Apology accepted."

Without a second glance, the mighty huntress was off again.

***

"Where is he?" Ukyou panted after following Ryouga down a dark alley. They were past the Ranma thing and were currently hiding out trying not to experience the restaurant owner's wrath. They both pressed their bodies flat against the brick wall of the building behind them as the angry man ran past. The dark haired girl peeked around the corner and nodded to herself as he ran in another direction.

"Hey," she said as she turned towards her new friend, "the coast is-- AH!"

The little black piglet looked solemnly up to her as he waded through the sea of clothes.

Ukyou blinked and then asked a question. "Ryouga, is that you?"

The piglet nodded as a tear dripped from his eye.

Ukyou felt that it was next to impossible for that small pig to be Ryouga. She shook her head stubbornly and crossed her arms. "Iie, I refuse to believe it."

Ryouga trotted over to his fallen backpack and nudged it with his nose.

"Eh?" the girl said intelligently. "Do you want me to get something for you?"

He nodded and nudged the tan fabric again. Ukyou then opened the top flap and began to rummage inside, all the while setting things on the ground around them. Finally she came to a green thermos that earned a squeal from her companion.

"This is it," she muttered as she twisted off the cap. She looked back and forth from the pig to the thermos and shot him a look. Watching the confusing gestures the small animal made, she at last understood what she needed to do.

Upending the hot water over his head, Ryouga was finally restored to his original form.

She stifled a shriek and politely turned away as the boy dressed. "I guess this explains everything..."

"Hai," he replied. "It should." Tying his headband back around his head, he turned to her. "I suppose you want the whole story about how it happened."

She smiled gently. "That would be nice."

"I came upon a valley that was covered in pools of water completely by accident one day..."

~~~

Ryouga gazed at all of the pools of water from where he was standing on top of a semi-high cliff. Suddenly, seeming out of no where, a panda came bouncing by. The boy dodged easily but then another person followed him.

"Stop Pop! Come back here you stupid panda!" Without even paying attention, the redheaded girl knocked poor Ryouga into a spring. The tiny black piglet came up sputtering as he slowly swam to shore.

As he climbed out of the water, the large panda reappeared again. The animal grabbed him by the cloth around his neck and skipped off toward the guide hut.

"Oh!" The Jusenkyo guide said cheerfully. "Where you get pig? Now I can make special Chinese style sweet and sour pork for honorable guest!"

The panda drooled at the anticipation of food while Ryouga the Pig wiggled franticly in Genma's paw.

The guide sharpened a large knife and tried to crack a joke. "Would be bad if pig had been man who fall in spring!" Both Genma and the guide looked at each other and began to laugh. The Chinese man tossed the piglet carelessly into the pot of boiling water.

Ryouga jumped out almost instantly, covering his genitals and glaring at the two.

"Oops!" The guide said. "You * _is_ * traveler who fell in Heituenniichuan!" He turned to the boy. "Very tragic story of black piglet who died there one-thousand, two hundred year ago--"

"SHUT UP!" Ryouga screamed brokenly as he stood there in shame.

"Very bad you fall in," the Chinese guide said solemnly, "Very bad."

~~~

Ukyou smothered her laughter as her friend's tale came to a close. "He almost turned you into sweet and sour pork?" After unsuccessfully trying to control her laughter, she broke out into wild giggles.

"Oh * _very_ * funny!" he said sarcastically. "If it were you who was about to become dinner, you wouldn't be laughing."

"Gomen nasai," she said with one last snicker. Controlling herself, she continued. "We need to move on now! Let's go kill Saotome!"

"Yeah!" he cheered as they both ran off.

***

"Have you seen this boy?" Akane asked for it felt like the fiftieth time that day. This time, surprisingly, she received a yes.

"Really?" She asked hopefully. "Can you tell me where?"

The old, partially bald man at the food stand pointed off to the right. "He was just here five minutes ago with a girl that can eat like a horse. Those two alone got all of my food!" Then he continued to count his money, little stars in his eyes. "At least they left me a * _huge_ * tip!"

Akane grinned cruelly and took off in the direction that the vendor had indicated. ' _Not long now, Ranma. Soon you will be all mine!_ ' She was tempted to add a maniacal laugh, but then people would have really thought that she was crazy.

She spotted his pig tail, just like on the picture, and started to yell. "RANMA! YOU'RE GONNA PAY!!"

Pan turned. "Who is that person?"

The boy, still stuffing his face, peered at the girl running towards them. "Oh shit! That's Akane Tendo!" Having a picture of her as well, his father had said to watch out for the dangerous tomboy. Her tousan, Soun, had wrote a letter all about her temper and fiery spirit.

Ranma looked around frantically for a possible escape route while Pan just stood there calmly.

"Aren't you going to help at all?!" he screamed at her. "She's gonna kill me!"

"Calm down you idiot!" Pan took quickly unscrewed the top from her water and threw some in his face. "There. Problem solved."

Calming slightly, Ranma ducked her head so that her face was obscured. "Now why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you're a bakayaro?" Pan suggested.

Ranma growled and they both waited to see if their ruse would work.

A loud group of teenagers blocked her view for a few moments as she neared her prey. Akane barely noticed, focused as she were on dismembering the boy. She blinked as she lost sight of Ranma all-together.

"Where in Hell did he go?" She asked herself quietly. "He was right there a moment ago!" Walking up to the dark-haired girl holding a knapsack she proceeded to pull out the picture again.

"Excuse me, have you seen this boy?"

Pan pretended to look really hard at the photo. "Nope. Not at all."

"Thanks anyway," Akane sighed heavily as she turned and walked away. "So close!"

Just when Ranma thought it was safe to breath again, another shout caught her attention.

"RANMA!"

The small girl groaned at this person.

"Shampoo," She sighed.

Then she saw the sword at the same time Pan did.

"OH KAMI!"

"Uh, what * _did_ * you do to her?" Pan asked curiously.

"Long story. Let's go!" Tugging urgently on the other girl's arm, she tried to pull her along.

Pan snatched her arm away and stood firm. "If you think I'm going to run away from some freaky sword wielding," she examined her clothes, "Chinese girl you've got something else coming!"

"Shampoo is not an ordinary person," Ranma whispered. This statement was confirmed as the amazon ran straight * _through_ * a telephone pole, destroying it completely. "Ya see what I mean?"

"I do," Pan gulped slightly despite herself, "Let's go!"

"RANMA, YOU I KILL!"

***

Walking further up the crowded street, Ukyou and Ryouga still didn't see anything of interest. They saw an angry looking female, a crazy looking amazon....

...who was currently screaming out how she was going to kill Ranma at the top of her lungs...

"Ranma's over there?" Ryouga asked as she ran by.

"Hai!" She answered.

"Let's go then!"

Akane also changed her course as she heard the conversation.

Other people stopped and stared as the four seemingly crazy teenagers shouted out death threats to someone named Ranma Saotome.

:"YOU'RE GONNA PAY!" Akane.

"YOU COWARD! HOW DARE YOU NOT SHOW TO OUR FIGHT!" Ryouga.

"YOU I KILL!" Shampoo.

"I GAVE UP MY WOMANHOOD TO FIND YOU!" Ukyou. This also prompted several weird glances from Ryouga and the gathering crowd, but they were all ignored.

"RANMA!!!" Was the shout in unison. "PREPARE TO DIE!!"

The two other children were all ready running for their lives. Pan finally sighed and grabbed the panting girl by the waist and took off into the air, not minding how many people she had startled.

"Arigatou!" Ranma smiled tiredly. "Now we're even."


	4. Chapter 4

The lingering stars twinkled faintly in the sky as Chikyuu slowly turned on it's axis. The sun rose from the horizon line, but in a more urgent manner. Well, that was the way it seemed to Pan.

Promptly at seven o'clock a.m. the alarm clock buzzed noisily as she rolled over and started to hit the snooze button. Thinking the matter over briefly, she realized it wasn't worth it because her father would just come in and bodily haul her to the shower anyway. Gohan just happened to always be awake when the sun rose.

Life just wasn't fair.

She took her time getting up however and wondered what she would do today. The newscaster yesterday said that it would be a lovely Saturday afternoon but she would bet an entire meal that she was wrong. They usually were.

Pan padded down the hallway, yawning, as she carried her robe to the currently occupied bathroom. Snorting with annoyance she began to loudly knock on the door and yell instantly ruining anyone else's chance of sleeping in.

"Will ya hurry it up in there?!" she shouted. "You're not the only one in the house you know!"

The occupant apparently didn't hear her because the horrible singing just continued. Pan winced slightly and covered her ears. If Livin' La Vida Loca was sung by monkeys, she was sure this was what it would sound like. She banged on the door again and this time got a response.

Ranma stuck his soapy face outside of the door and stuck out his tongue. "G'way. I'm busy."

Pan just groaned. "I should have known. Fine! Continue your stupid shower. But if you use all the hot water, I swear I'll hunt you down and kill you."

The boy just smirked and slammed the door.

"Baka," she said under her breath as she went to her room to wait.

Twenty minutes later, she was still doing just that.

Pan was fed up. First the idiot ruined her morning and now any hope of hot water had gone right down the drain with it. Literally. It was now time for extreme measures.

The girl stood and marched to her door. "TOUSAN! KAASAN! RANMA'S USING ALL THE WATER!!"

She, of course, received no answer. Pan wondered if she actually thought she would.

On further inspection of the household, she discovered that her parents and Saotome san had gone to the Capsule Corporation. She and Ranma were on their own.

If her tousan and kaasan were there, she might as well join then and use * _their_ * numerous facilities.

Scrawling a note quickly, she threw on some sweatpants and a tee-shirt and left the house. She would just pick up one of her outfits that she always left at her best-friend's house.

***

Ranma flipped another page in the manga that he was reading as he shifted position on the toilet. He has actually finished his shower and gotten dressed in his traditional outfit over ten minutes ago but had kept the water running just to annoy the hell out of the other girl.

After a while though, he actually started to get worried when the shouting had stopped. So he stood, shut off the water, and went to investigate. It didn't take him long to discover that he had been abandoned.

"Those jerks!" he shouted to the empty house. "Now what is the Capsule Corp. and how to I get to it?" Shrugging he wandered outside, after locking the door of course, and stopped the first person on the street.

"Excuse me sir," he said politely. "Where is the Capsule Corporation?"

The young man blinked once and then broke out into loud laughter. "You've got to be kidding!"

A puzzled frown graced Ranma's visage. "Why would I be?"

The laughter eventually died down and the other boy started at him in shock. "You're actually serious!"

Ranma sighed in annoyance. "Of course I am! How the hell am I supposed to know where it is if I don't even live in Satan City?!"

"But," the boy started tentatively, "everyone knows. It's just the biggest company in the world." An adoring look suddenly came onto his face. "And Bra Briefs is the most beautiful person I've ever seen. Her mother isn't too bad either," he added as an afterthought.

A frustration headache was just starting to develop and the young martial artist began massaging his temples. "I don't care! Look, just tell me where it is."

The boy pointed down the street they were currently on. "That way. It's the largest building in that part of the city so you can't miss it."

"Arigatou," Ranma said gratefully as he ran off. "I really appreciate it!"

***

"...and the bastard stays in there for over twenty minutes!" Pan grumbled to anyone who would listen as she stuffed a large fork-full of blueberry pancakes into her mouth. Her audience currently consisted of Bra, Bulma, Trunks, and her own mother.

"Pan-chan," Videl scolded. "Watch your language!"

"Gomen Kaasan," she replied around her mouthful. "But I'm sure they're used to worse. Livin' with Veggie-ojisan and all."

"I heard that!" The short saiyan yelled from a distant room. "And don't call me Veggie!"

Bulma snickered slightly as she set yet another plate of pancakes in front of Pan. "I'm sure that he didn't mean too..."

Pan snorted. "If you met him, you would say differently."

It was then, as if on cue, that the doorbell rang.

Nobody moved to answer it.

"Trunks, get the door," Bra said absently.

"Me?" he asked. "It's your turn!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not times infinity!"

"Is too times infinity plus one!"

"Forget it!" Bulma said in disgust. "* _I'll*_ get the door. Honestly, you two act like three year olds."

"Do not!" They both exclaimed in unison.

Bulma continued to mutter about half-saiyans and their mental development even as she stared at the young man who had his finger poised to ring the bell again.

"Hai?" she asked. "If you're selling something, I don't want any."

"Iie. I'm here for Pan..."

Bulma smiled and quickly cut him off. "Pan! You're little boyfriend's here!"

A yell could be heard in the distance as she ran to the door. "Bulma-obaasan! I don't have--" She cut herself off. "Oh. It's just you." Trunks and Bra, who had followed her, both sighed in disappointment. "How did you manage to find the place?"

"Oh, I just asked one of Bra's many admirers. By the way, who is she?"

"That would be me," the blue-haired girl stepped forward. "Konichi-wa. I am Bra Briefs."

He took her proffered hand and looked her over with no small amount of scrutiny. "You're not that cute."

The girl's temper instantly flared as she glared at him. "You're not so hot either." Then she decided to take it a step further. "PAPA! This boy insulted me!"

Vegeta appeared faster than you could say 'Kakarott's dead'. * _No one_ * insulted his little princess and got away with it. At least a few broken bones couldn't hurt.

"Uh oh. You've done it now. Imoutochan's has Papa on you now." Trunks was truly worried for the boy's safety. "By the way, I'm Trunks."

Bulma sighed and shook her head. "I'll take care of this. VEGGIE-CHAN! IF YOU COME ONE STEP CLOSER, NO DINNER FOR YOU!"

"But onna--!"

"No buts," His wife was firm. "It wasn't that bad and Bra-chan needs to take care of things herself and stop running to tousan all of the time."

"But she's royalty..."

There was a collective sigh and everyone repeated one thing that they've been trying to make stick in Vegeta's head:

"YOU HAVE NO RACE LEFT!!"

"Besides Goku-Ojiisan of course," Pan added.

Ranma blinked at this strange exchange. "Are you the leader of the saiyan race?"

"* _Former_ * leader," Bulma corrected. "He's just a common citizen like the rest of us now."

Vegeta's eyes began to twitch while his rage slowly grew. "I am Prince and will continue to be Prince." Trunks and Bra both moved slightly away as his ki rose sky high.

Ranma opened his mouth to say something as Pan frantically shook her head no. Paying no heed to her gestures, he asked anyway.

"If you're the last," he started. "wouldn't that make ya king?"

That was the last straw. Exploding into Super Saiyan he tried to dismember the unsuspecting boy.

That was exactly when Goku interfered.

The larger saiyan yawned and calmly stuck out a hand to still his furious friend. "What's goin' on?" He then looked at Vegeta. "Did someone bring up the royalty issue again?"

They all nodded, with the exception of Bulma, and pointed to Ranma who was still surprised by Goku's entrance.

"How'd ya do that?" he asked in awe.

"A secret," Goku smiled. Then he grabbed Vegeta's arm. Placing his index and middle finger to his forehead again, he vanished.

Pan let out the breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. "Man are you lucky!"

Bra nodded. "Goku-san just saved your life!"

Trunks also nodded. "Papa wouldn't have been all over you."

"I would have to agree," Bulma spoke. "Most people don't survive that. Unfortunately, now he's going to hate you until his dying day and you actually have a better chance of dying before he does."

Videl stuck her head around the kitchen door. She had wisely stayed away when the sparks started to fly. "Ranma dear, you must stop doing that to people."

The boy just nodded. Today was going to be a full day. He just knew it.

***

Genma was startled just as much as his son was only moments before when the two saiyans appeared. Gohan barely glanced up from where the two were discussing fighting styles.

"Hi Tousan," he said briefly. "Nice day isn't it?" The he added something else. "Where's Goten? He wanted to spar with me today."

Goku grinned and dropped Vegeta. "He's still asleep but ChiChi should be screaming at him any minute now."

The short saiyan glared angrily at the person he reluctantly called a friend. "Kakarott," he forced out between clenched teeth, "if you do that again..."

"Son-san," Genma started. "How in the world did you do that?"

"I teleported," Goku said. "It's called Instantaneous Movement." The other man opened his mouth to ask something and Goku help up a hand to stop him. "Before you ask, I can't teach it to you. I swore not too[1]." He looked up then as he sensed kis approaching. "Veggie, behave."

A grunt was his only reply as Vegeta walked towards the gravity room. "I'm going to train. If that bakayaro insults anyone in my family again, Trunks excluded, he won't live to see tomorrow. Believe me."

Somehow Genma knew he was talking about his son. "What did the boy do this time?" he groaned.

"Nothing big," a new voice piped up. "Just insulted Bra's beauty. She's the one who called Veggie-ojisan on him." Pan, Ranma, Trunks, and Bra came from the house using the side door. Pan, sort of anger at her father, moved over to him where she could stick an accusing finger in his face. "You left me!"

Gohan blinked. "Nani?"

"You left me alone with that-that IDIOT!" Then she launched into her oft repeated story By the time she was through, Goten had joined the group.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Will ya tell me Panny-chan..."

"NO!" Everyone exclaimed.

Shrugging he turned away. "Let's spar niichan."

"Veggie-ojisan," Pan shouted. "We're leaving. Do you want to come too?" There was no response.

"I'll let you win on pur~pose!" Goku singsonged. That at least got an answer, even though it wasn't a positive one.

"No Kakarott! When I win, I want you trying your best." He closed the door and joined them. "Fine. I'll go."

"Wait!" Bra suddenly shouted. "I need to change my clothes. I can't get sweat in designer jeans."

There was a collective groan from everyone but Ranma and his father.

"But," Trunks whined, "you'll take all day!"

"I'll go with her," Pan spoke up. "And don't leave without us!"

Ten minutes later they had returned and they all began their trip to the empty space outside of the city. Goku opted to carry Genma while Pan continued the trend of carrying Ranma, who complained the whole way there.

Upon their arrival, they all drew straws to see who would go first.

"Trunks! You're up. Who are you going with?" Goku asked.

Goten nodded and stepped forward. "I can go with niichan later. Besides, Ranma and Genma are seriously in need of flying lessons."

They all laughed as the aforementioned pair blushed slightly and Gohan and Pan left to train them.

It started out easy enough, though Ranma still remembered what Pan said about her father's training methods. The two Sons thought them how to focus their energy and use it to propel themselves. Ranma had actually gotten a couple of inches from the ground but that was before Gohan began the next lesson.

To the cliff they went.

"Now Tousan," Pan started. "Don't be too hard on them. I sort of scared the jerk yesterday by telling him what you did."

"I'm * _not_ * a jerk you tomboy!" he protested immediately.

Gohan just smiled. "It's not too bad. I learned this way, didn't I? Pan did as well. If you become scared enough, it will be an unconscious reaction." He picked up Genma as Pan did the same to his son. "If it looks like you can't do it, we'll save you."

Pan huffed. "I guess I will."

"Pan-chan!" Gohan mildly admonished.

"Gomen," she muttered as she grabbed the boy. "Let's go then."

Ranma was slightly nervous as they flew higher. "Uh, don't you think that this is high enough?"

"Look," she began, "if you want to have enough time to get it and me to catch you we need to be this high. Otherwise, you hit the ground pretty hard and you're not worth the wish to bring back to life."

This last statement puzzled the boy. "Huh?" he asked.

"Long story. Better save it until later."

"I have the feeling that there are lots of long stories," he muttered quietly but Pan, with her enhanced saiyan hearing heard him anyway.

"You bet there are!" And that was when she released him.

Freefalling one-thousand miles above the earth is an exhilarating feeling to some. The wind rushing past your body, the freedom of movement, the wonderful view of the ground far below. But those people all had parachutes. Whether they opened in time was an entirely different story.

Ranma was not granted that privilege nor was he reveling in the feeling. The boy had his eyes tightly shut and was screaming his lungs out.

' _I'm gonna die!_ ' Was the only thing running through his head at the moment until slowly his survival instincts kicked in and he was able to once again think rationally.

'All I have to do is focus my ki,' he thought to himself as he continued down. 'Unfortunately I don't have much time.' That was when he decided to open his eyes and look around.

His pop was about one hundred feet away and seemed to be slowing himself down when in actuality, he was falling slower since there was more air resistance against his larger frame. He also saw Pan and her father above them watching the whole thing with a large amount of patience. About half a mile away from the four, he saw the images of Trunks and Goten sparring. ' _They're fast,_ ' he commented to himself. All of these things he had taken in within ten seconds. But that was enough to be within sight of the large details of the things below.

He sighed. Flying was out of the question this time. He couldn't even focus enough to slow himself. But Pan still remained where she was, watching.

"Uh hello!" he shouted to her. "A little help please?" The girl still didn't move. That was when panic kicked in.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed long and loud as he began to flap his arms like wings in hopes of slowing down. By this time he was so close to the ground that Pan wasn't fast enough to save him.

Luckily Goku was.

He started at the fell of arms around him as he came to an abrupt halt. Sighing with relief, he turned to see who had caught him.

"Need a little help?" the tall saiyan asked cheerfully.

"What is with that tomboy?!" Ranma yelled. "I almost died!"

Goku just shrugged. "I guess she thought you would be able to do it. You're father did."

"He WHAT?!" And then he saw what Goku meant. Genma had succeeded in stopping himself completely and was floating in the air calmly. That was the very last straw. Ranma would fly even if he * _did_ * die in the process.

***

Several hours later a tired, bruised Ranma Saotome collapsed on the ground next to the group watching the sparring match between Vegeta and Goku. Well, some could see it better than others. Gohan and Piccolo -- who had joined them some time ago -- were the only ones.

Ranma couldn't even see an alter-image.

"What's going on?" he asked weakly. He was hurting but satisfied. He had done it. He had flew.

No one answered his question however.

"Wow!" Gohan exclaimed. "Did you see that move? I didn't even know Vegeta could bend that way!"

Piccolo snorted. "That one was obviously reserved for Bulma."

"Someone? Anyone?" he tried again.

Pan hit him on the back of the head. "Baka, I can't see either and you don't hear me complaining."

"This is no fun," Trunks grumbled. "I wanna see too!"

Pan just shook her head. "He was dropped on his head as a child."

Bra broke out into laughter. "Good one Pan-chan!"

The purple-haired boy turned to his friend. "That wasn't very nice."

Pan inwardly sighed. ' _I hate when he looks at me like that! He's so cute!_ '

"Do you have a four?" Goten asked Bra. He had given up on watching a long time ago.

She shook her head. "Go fish."

Then Gohan said something that got them on alert. "Ki blasts."

Goten hurriedly picked up his cards and stuck them in a back pocket. He and Bra stood from the grassy plain.

"What? Why are you standing up?" Genma asked curiously.

Pan just pointed to the distance. "That."

A bright blue beam shot of the sky and struck the earth about fifty feet from where they were. All present covered their eyes from the light.

"Kamehameha," she muttered softly. "Veggie's about to retaliate."

As if on cue, another beam of light shot out.

"Final Flash[2]!" Trunks shouted out. "Move!"

Pan picked the stunned boy up quickly and jumped to the side. Gohan had picked up Saotome on his way by. The crater that resulted from the impact of the blast was not as wide as it was deep. The earth itself was scorched somewhat from the blast and the light blinded them all for a few seconds. Ranma swore he had felt the intensity of it without even trying.

"That," Bra said smirking, "is why you need to be on your feet." Needless to say they obeyed with haste.

The sparring match continued for quite sometime until Goku quickly knocked Vegeta to the group and out of the air completely. "Lunch!" he shouted gleefully.

The shorter saiyan picked himself up from the ground. "Kakarott! Were you toying with me all of this time?!" he shouted.

He received no answer. Only a great rush of wind as Goku took off at top speed to get something to eat.

Everyone else sweatdropped. Nothing about Goku would ever change.

***

Pan, Trunks, Bra, Goten, and Ranma all walked down the street several hours later after the theater they had gone to. It was Goten's idea, surprisingly, to go out somewhere to get to know Ranma better. They had even let him pick the movie and the restaurant they had eaten at later.

It was no surprise that he picked a Bruce Lee movie but it was surprising that they ended up at an okonomiyaki restaurant.

"It's my favorite," Was all he would say about that.

After dropping Bra and Trunks off at their home, the remaining three walked sleepily up to Pan's front door. Goten didn't even feel like flying home. It had been a long day.

Upon entering, they were greeted with a rather terrible surprise. Akane, Ryouga, Shampoo, and Ukyou all sat on the Son's furniture munching on Videl's cookies.

"Nehou[3]!" Shampoo said cheerfully. "You Pan?"

The girl nodded. "Uh hai. Who are you guys?"

After introductions Genma entered the room and made a grave error. He revealed Ranma's name.

"Ranma my boy!" he spoke cheerfully. "How was you day? Did you bond with the girl?"

Shampoo's ears perked up instantly at this and the sword was out before anyone knew it. "Ranma, you I kill!"

He gasped automatically moved out of the way of the sharp object. Somehow disarming her, he blocked her against the wall.

"Oh no!" Genma gasped. "Not another kiss of death!"

But this was not to be. Smiling adoringly, she glomped the confused boy around the waist. "Wo ai ni[4]."

And no one knew what to make of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] = Just guessing here. Since he never taught it to anyone, I thought that this would explain why.  
> [2] = I've never seen the actual blast. Since I couldn't find a description I assumed it was a beam.  
> [3] = This just means hello. I really don't know how to spell it.  
> [4] = I love you. This one I can spell.


	5. Chapter 5

Looks were exchanged and a silent language was communicated. Finally all gazes fell onto the Ranma.

"What is the meaning of this?" Videl asked. "What in the world does wo ai ni mean anyway?"

No one answered. Shampoo was the only knowledgeable source and she was too busy cuddling up to an uncomfortable looking Ranma to pay much attention to the question. Then Gohan entered the room holding a dictionary.

"Wo ai ni," he mumbled while pushing his reading glasses up with an index finger, "Ah! Here it is!"

Pan, Ukyou, and Akane rushed over to him. "What does it say?"

Suddenly Gohan snapped the book shut and narrowed his eyes. "It means 'I love you'." Sensing his anger, the three girls wisely moved away from him.

"WHAT?!" Ranma shouted loudly. "Don't look at me like that, Son-san! I have no idea what this means!"

Then Shampoo produced a worn book and held it up. Pan took it from her hand. Flipping through the pages, she blinked.

"It's all in Chinese!"

"Let me see that!" Akane snatched it from her and examined it closely. "She's right."

Ukyou then looked and began to read.

"If a amazon woman is defeated in battle by an outsider woman," she read, "she must then administer the kiss of death and hunt her to the ends of the planet to reclaim her honor. But if she is defeated by an outsider man, she must marry him..." She trailed off and looked up with a shocked expression on her face. Pan and Akane were wearing similar looks.

"You can read Chinese?" Ranma asked, amazed.

"Iie," she shook her head and then smiled. "It's in Japanese right below."

"Really?" She showed him the page. "How about that."

"LOOK!" Pan shouted. "That is *not* the point! I want to know what happened exactly!"

"Okay," Ranma said suddenly depressed. He pried the clingy purple-haired girl from his body and sat on the couch. Ukyou, Akane, and Pan instantly surrounded him on all sides so that Shampoo couldn't glomp him again. "It all started back on our training trip to China..."

~~~

"Look sirs," the Jusenkyo guide said to a red-haired girl and a large panda, "this here is Chinese Amazon village. They--" He was cut off as a *very* hungry Ranma and Genma spotted the items on a table.

"FOOD!" Ranma shouted in glee as her father just grunted. They took off at top speed to fill their stomachs.

"Wait sirs!" The Chinese man shouted as he ran after them. "You not understand!"

But they did not heed his warning. Stuffing their faces at a rapid pace, they acquired the attention of the spectators to what looked to be a martial arts tournament. A small girl was fighting what looked to be another woman. To be sure, you would have to perform several tests.

"*That's* a woman?" Ranma asked as she looked up from her corn on the cob.

"Oh yes! Very strong Amazon woman. They fight for high position in society." The guide answered. Then Ranma noticed Shampoo.

"Hey! She's pretty cute." He continued to eat as Shampoo won the match. The purple-haired girl glared fiercely and jumped off the beam and over to the table.

"Why you eat Shampoo prize?" she asked angrily. Ranma blinked and looked down at the table. She smiled sheepishly as she saw what was on the sign.

"Oops?"

"Match. Now." The girl left.

"Oh dear," the guide said worriedly. "She challenge you. Sir must fight her."

"Sure!" Ranma smirked. "I can get some training in." She approached the amazon and they began to fight both very well matched. Eventually Ranma reigned victorious not one, but *two* times.

"Well," She stretched. "That was that."

Shampoo then smiled in a menacing way that instantly put Ranma on guard. Approaching slowly, she placed a hand underneath the victors chin. Moving slightly next to her face, she kissed her. Stepping back it was over just as quickly as it had begun.

"What the hell did you just do?!" Ranma jumped back suddenly on defense.

"Oh no!" The guide gasped. "This bad. *Very* bad indeed sirs!"

Genma quickly scrawled a sign. <Nani?>

"She give Kiss of Death. Pledge to track to ends of the planet!"

~~~

"And that's the whole story," Ranma finished.

"You're a girl too?" Ukyou asked. Ranma nodded. "That's funny. Ryouga's also a--"

"A little tired from our trip," He interrupted a little nervously while placing a hand over her mouth. "Is there someplace Ukyou and I can stay?"

"Ukyou?!" Ranma exclaimed. "Ucchan? Is that you? I didn't even notice. How are ya?!"

"Hai, it is. *Ran-chan*," She emphasized this with a glare.

The boy blinked. "What's his problem?"

Genma suddenly started to fidget. His son noticed immediately. "Pop, there's something you haven't told me isn't there?"

"Hai, Ranma my boy. Ukyou is your fiancé."

There was silence until Ranma began to sputter. "But isn't Ukyou a... guy?"

Ukyou instantly whipped out her spatula. "Ranma you jackass! I'm a one-hundred percent woman!"

"You are?!" Ryouga said brokenly. "You lied!"

She shook her head. "No I didn't. I just never bothered to correct you. I gave up my womanhood for this idiot over here!"

"You see Ranma," Genma said, "I left it all up to you! I asked you specifically Which do you like better? Ukyou or okonomiyaki?"

"Let me guess," Pan said dryly, "you picked okonomiyaki."

"I was six!" he exclaimed.

"So they ran off with my family's cart and left me by the side of the road. I swore then that I would hunt him down and make him PAY!" She swung suddenly at Ranma's head and he twisted aside in a narrow escape.

"Hold it!" Gohan said firmly. "If you're going to fight, take it outside. Genma, I want to have a word with you."

"WAIT A MINUTE!" Akane shouted. "What about me? He left me too!"

"And me!" Ryouga spoke up. "He chickened out of a fight, the coward."

Ranma pointed to Akane while moving toward the front door. "I don't even know what I've done to you and you," he pointed to the other boy, "I have no idea who you even are."

"But one person at a time!" Pan pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil. "For now I'm taking bets."

"I put five yen on Ukyou!" Goten spoke up.

Akane just stared at the dark-haired girl. "This is something I wouldn't have expected my older sister Nabiki to do." Shrugging she followed the other two outdoors. Eventually no one was left except Gohan, Genma, and Videl; and even the latter was peeking between the window curtains.

"Videl!" Gohan said, not quite whining. Thoroughly frustrated with everything he felt like killing something and that feeling was foreign to the generally peaceful demi-saiyan.

His wife sighed as she put the window coverings back into place. "Gomen."

The trio moved to the kitchen table where Saotome practically collapsed into a chair. "Now," Gohan began, "this was your idea in the first place..."

"What did you say to Akane's parents?" Videl suddenly interrupted. She felt that it was a lot more to that story as well.

"Just her father actually. Her mother is deceased." He appeared to look uncomfortable, "She is another fiancé. I sort of promised my son to Soun after not making a payment on the money he loaned me."

"I see," Gohan steepled his fingers. "You cheated Ukyou, you hussled Soun, and you tricked my Tousan. Is there any other form of deceit you are capable of?"

"I don't know," Genma joked trying to ease the tension in the room. "Won't know until I try."

No one laughed. If anything, the looks on Videl and Gohan's faces became even harder.

"All I can do know is apologize for this," he said almost sincerely, "It won't happen again."

"I would hope not," Gohan said as he stood. "Now, we have a battle to supervise."

***

"I tell ya again: I don't fight girls!" Ranma yelled at Ukyou for a third time. She just did not seem to be getting it.

"You did all those years ago!"

Eager for a fight, Pan produced a water gun from kami knows where. "How about like this then?" And she squirted Ranma directly in the face. The change happened quickly, as it always did, and soon the small red-haired girl stood there in the boy's place.

"Hey! What'd ya do that for?" She demanded.

Pan just shrugged. "Entertainment. Come on! Fight already!"

Ukyou let out a battle cry that startled Ranma slightly as she ran toward him, her long hair flying out, he jumped out of the way and continued to do so.

"C'mon you jackass! Fight me like a man!"

He just continued to block, duck, and dodge as Ukyou became even more frustrated. The three adults came out onto the porch to watch the battle.

"I wonder what this looks like to the neighbors," Gohan mused.

Videl just shrugged. "They're probably used to all of this by now."

Tiring quickly of this mock battle, Ranma finally pinned Ukyou to the ground and said something that ended the conflict instantly. "You know, you're kind of cute."

Her face lit up and she began to smile goofily. "Really?" Pushing him away roughly she hit him rather hard in a failed attempt to be playful. "You're not serious!"

Ranma rubbed his still stinging cheek. "I'm starting to regret it already."

Goten frowned at the outcome and went up to his niece. "Please tell me that you aren't holding me to my bet. I mean, *no one* won that one!"

Shampoo growled viciously and pulled out her katana. "You no touch wo ta aye len[1]."

The translation dictionary appeared in Gohan's hand almost instantly. "Wo ta aye len: my beloved husband."

"Excuse me?!" Ranma asked loudly. "I ain't no beloved nothin'!"

While Ukyou was still off in a complement induced fantasy, Ranma began to question the other two.

"Okay Akane Tendo, what did I do to you?"

She crossed her arms and snorted. "It was both our father's idea completely."

"Pop," Ranma said in a warning tone.

Genma laughed nervously. "She is, uh, also your fiancé boy."

"POP! How many do I have?!"

"The current count is four," Gohan said calmly, "Akane, Ukyou, Shampoo, and Pan-chan."

Pan earned a heated glare from the other three. "That," Akane spat out, "we did not know about."

"Wait a minute!" she held up a hand, "I hate this just as much as you do Akane. Saotome-san tricked my Goku-ojiisan! In fact, Ukyou and Shampoo are the only two who like Ranma."

The pig-tailed boy looked unhappily to the amazon girl. "But I don't like them at all!" She ignored him and continued to cuddle. He sighed and went on to Ryouga. "So, who are you and what do you want?"

"I am Ryouga Hibiki and you, Ranma Saotome, are a complete and utter coward!"

"No wait just a minute!" The other boy protested. But Ryouga left no room for a reply.

"I came on the fourth day and you weren't there!"

"Wait a minute," Ranma mused as he again pried Shampoo loose, "Ryouga Hibiki..." Then his eyes lit with recognition. "I remember you now!"

"NANI?!" Pan asked loudly. "Who is he?!"

Ranma leaned against the fence bordering the Sons' yard and launched into his tale. "It was back when I attended an all boys school..."

~~~

The huge crowd of boys shouted angrily as they all wrestled for some food. The lunchlady standing behind the counter holding a large container suddenly belted out something that none wanted to hear:

"Last bread of the day!"

The crowd grew more rowdy as she tossed the package out into the sea of boys. Ryouga grinned as he saw it falling right into his outstretched hands. Then a red blur out-extended him, grasping the package in his teeth.

"Yeah!" Ranma shouted triumphantly as he ripped it open. "Food!"

But it didn't end there. Every single day Ranma snatched more and more food from Ryouga, making the other boy go hungry. Finally Ryouga was fed up and challenged him to a duel to finish things.

"Meet me at the vacant lot behind my house!" Ryouga demanded. "I can kill you there."

And so Ranma set out the next day, fully prepared to beat Ryouga's ass. But alas, it was never meant to be; at the moment anyway. He waited a full three days but the other boy didn't show. Fed up, he left on that training trip to China that his father often ranted about.

~~~

"He never showed!" Ranma declared.

"Excuse me?" The other boy said. "I did! I had traveled all over Japan looking for you!"

"Nani?" Pan asked in shock. "You couldn't find the lot in back of your own house?" She began to snicker as did everyone else present.

"Don't laugh it's not funny! I'm cursed with a horrible sense of direction. I can't find anything!" His face took on a dismayed look as he ran off down the street. "Ranma Saotome, I will return!"

"Poor guy," Ukyou said still laughing a bit, "Kind of cute though." She was rewarded with an odd look from the other three girls and she shrugged it off. "Nani?"

"You know what? I'm tired from today so can I *please* go to sleep?" Pan begged.

"Gomen young lady but you have to escort our *guests* to the Capsule Corp. They're the only ones with enough room to house everyone." Gohan said firmly.

"Aw man! Come on Tousan!" She turned her tone to full-blown whine. "I'm sleepy!" His look didn't change. "Kaasan?"

Neither of her parents gave in so finally she sighed. "Alright, let's go."

***

"Bulma-obaasan!" She shouted as she opened the door. "I have a question!"

The blue-haired woman wiped her hands on her apron as she came into the hall. "Hai? What is it?" So Pan explained her current crisis as Bulma listened intently. "Sure! It's okay with me!"

"I won't impose on you longer than we need to," Ukyou said politely.

"Me neither! I'm going back to Furinkan as soon as possible." Akane spoke up. "I don't know about Shampoo though..."

"No bother. Shampoo great-grandma said she would check up on Shampoo. She will come soon." The girl then smiled. "Shampoo help in kitchen, hai?"

After pondering a peculiar speech pattern for a while, Bulma finally understood what she meant. "Oh! Sure you can help! Cooking for saiyans is no easy task."

Shampoo did not quite understand her comment but she didn't question it further.

Pan turned to the other girls. "I want to call a truce. Ignoring Ukyou's obvious obsession, none of us want to be married to the baka. So, is it okay?" She held out her hand palm down. Akane smiled slightly and added hers over Pan's.

"Excuse me?!" Ukyou huffed. "I am *not* obsessed!" The other two ignored her and just raised an eyebrow. "Oh fine." She also added her hand.

"Okay then! I'll introduce you to my friends. B-CHAN! TRUNKS! COME DOWN HERE!"

Akane and Ukyou winced at her voice. "Couldn't you have just taken us up there?" The latter asked.

Pan shook her head. "I didn't want you to meet Veggie-ojisan before it was time. I have to teach you things first. You don't want to end up in the same position as Ranma!"

Bra came down the stairs first, in her elegant fashion model way. She abandoned it though as she saw her best friend.

"Pan-chan, what's up?" She smiled at their two guests. "Konichi-wa, I'm Bra."

After the introductions were made, that was when Trunks showed up. He was about to slide down the banister when Bulma's voice floated from the kitchen.

"Do it and die."

The purple-haired boy flinched and walked like a normal person. "How did she do that?" he whispered.

The other four just shrugged. He eventually smiled winningly and held out a hand. "Hi. I'm Trunks."

Bra and Pan hit in at the same time.

"Nani? Why'd ya do that?" he asked while rubbing his bruises.

"Stop doing that!" Pan commanded.

"Yeah! Not every girl wants a date with you!"

Then they noticed the looks Akane and Ukyou were possessing. "H-hi!" Ukyou said almost shyly.

Surprisingly, Akane was the exact same way. "I'm Akane Tendo," She said softly. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Oh please!" The other girls groaned.

"It's no wonder they want him," Vegeta suddenly said right behind them. "He does have my genes after all."

"Papa!" Bra complained.

Akane and Ukyou noticed him as well. "I see," Ukyou said admiringly. Vegeta just had to come into the room wearing nothing but the skin-tight spandex he wore to train in. "A little on the short side but it doesn't matter..."

Trunks, suddenly offended, crossed his arms. "Hello? I'm the one you want! Not him!"

"You see? Both their egos are *way* too big!" Pan announced. "Find someone else! Ukyou, you have Ran-chan. Isn't he enough?"

The brown-haired girl sighed. "You're right. I shouldn't be greedy."

"Akane," Pan added. "I thought that you said you hate boys on the walk here! If you hadn't noticed yet, Trunks-chan is a boy."

That snapped the tomboy right out of it like being doused with icy cold water. "That's right!" She said remembering. She then got angry. "How dare you trick me like that Trunks!"

"Huh?" he asked intelligently.

"Yeah you jackass!" The large spatula appeared quickly. "That wasn't fair!"

As the two girls chased him around his own house, Pan smirked to herself and looked on satisfied. 'Score one for me.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] = It's probably not spelled right.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 was Thursday, chapters 2 & 3 were both Friday, chapters 4 & 5 were both Saturday, and this one is Sunday. I set it up this way *completely* by accident, but it worked out okay in the end. Even longer note at the end.

The next day brought word of yet another uninvited visitor. The telegram came quickly, if not oddly. Addressed to Ranma, confirmed by Shampoo, it spoke of unseen chaos and catastrophe.

Shampoo's great-grandmother was coming to visit.

And it irritated Son Pan to no end.

"Where is she going to stay? There are perfectly good hotels all over the city!" She grumbled over breakfast.

"Now Pan, you can't expect her to stay in a hotel where she could have the comfort of someone's personal home." Videl ate the last of her cereal as her daughter gulped. "She will be staying at the Capsule Corporation."

Pan smiled in relief. "Good."

***

"No, no, and for the last time NO!" Vegeta yelled not ten minutes after the Sons' discussion over their morning meal. Videl had called the house earlier with the request. "We're not a boarding house!"

"But Veggie-chan! She has no other place to go!" Bulma said.

"I mean it onna!" He said firmly. "I'm not giving in!"

But eventually, as everyone knew he would, it happened anyway. It only took certain things to convince him.

"No gravity room, no food, and no SEX!"

That was enough to convince even the stubbornest of saiyan warriors. Bra and Trunks just wished they hadn't of heard the last word. It spawned very disturbing mental images.

"Aren't you going to stop this?" Ukyou whispered during the heated argument. She, Akane, Shampoo, Bra, and Trunks crouched low on the staircase off the living room where the fight was taking place.

The two Breifs children just shook their head. "Nope," The eldest answered. "They do this all the time."

"If they didn't," Bra added. "*Then* you have reason to worry."

But Shampoo ignored the whispered conversation of them all and marched right down into the middle of it. "Excuse me Bulma-san and Vegeta-san." Her quiet voice penetrated Bulma's frustration and Vegeta's anger.

"Yes Shampoo?" The blue-haired woman sighed.

"When Shampoo great-grandma come, Shampoo will leave. Great-grandma have place all ready. It in message *Shampoo* receive."

Shocked into silence, the two turned to her. "You got a telegram?" Vegeta questioned. The girl nodded.

"You're leaving here when your grandmother comes?" Bulma asked. She nodded again.

"Then why didn't you say so?!" The both asked in unison.

"You not ask," she said simply as they both facevaulted.

***

The news reached Pan's house as fast as it could. It left Ranma Saotome dancing around her house in just his boxer shorts.

"Shampoo is leaving! Shampoo is leaving!"

Pan grabbed his pig-tail, stopping all further movement. "Stop it! You're knocking things off the walls. Besides," she added as an afterthought, "she didn't say she was moving. I think that her obaasan has a place here in town." This completely destroyed the his mood.

"Really?"

"Yes really. They'll probably live here in Satan City."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He moaned as he clutched at Pan. "Tell me it's not true! Tell me!"

She pushed him away and shook her head. "Sorry, no can do." Then she looked at her watch. "I've got a sparring appointment and Goten just went home a little while ago. But I have to speak to my ojiisan anyway."

Then Gohan rushed into the room, hastily straightening his clothes. "Gotta go. I'm late!"

"Tousan, it's Sunday," she said confused.

"I know. Since I took yesterday off, I have to make it up today." He kissed her on the cheek briefly. "Your mother has the day off today so she'll be here."

The loud sound of a cast-iron skillet hitting something equally hard made them all flinch slightly. Genma then began to wail in pain.

"Pop must have did something bad," Ranma commented absently.

"Hai," Gohan paused in his search for his car keys, "She wants your father to get a job." He began to look again as Pan calmly clapped her hands. A beeping noise emitted from behind a couch cushion. "There they are!"

"And this is why we got the Key-Finder. He always looses them." Pan whispered to Ranma. With one last hurried goodbye to his wife, Son Gohan ran out of the house. "Do you want to go along? After you put on some clothes of course."

"Sure. There's nothing happening here and I don't want the other three finding me today." He ran upstairs to get some clothing as Pan announced to her mother that they were leaving.

Genma stuck his cloth-covered head outside the kitchen. "Please take me with you!" Then his request turned into howl as he was dragged back by Videl.

"You are going down to that unemployment office and get a good job!"

Pan laughed even as she called to the unfortunate man. "Gomen nasai Saotome-san! She's picked up habits from my obaasan."

"I heard that young lady!" Came the reply. "Do you want to be next?"

"Iie Kaasan," She then ran to the stairs. "Hurry up you jerk!" And so Pan began to wait on an extremely slow Ranma.

***

They both landed gently on Goku's front door stoop. Pan stepped over the threshold, took off her shoes, and instantly heard ChiChi screaming one room over.

"Son Goku! Where are your table manners today? You've already influenced poor Goten with your ways!"

Pan crept into the kitchen quietly, so as not to gain the favor of her grandmother's anger. But ChiChi saw her anyway.

"Son Pan!" The girl froze. Then ChiChi set her sights on the boy behind her. "You must be Ranma Saotome," she said in an odd tone.

He nodded. "Hey! How ya doin'?" That earned a hard look from the woman.

"I swear you manners are even worse than my Goku's!"

"Hey ChiChi," Goku said in-between bites, "Leave the poor boy alone."

Pan just shook her head at the weirdness of her family and went down the hallway to get her uncle. "Goten, are you awake at all? You got a full eight hours of sleep!"

The man in question emerged from his bedroom, yawning. "I'm up. I'm up." He scratched his head and slowly shuffled towards the bathroom.

"By the way," she added as an afterthought, "don't you think that twenty-nine is a little old to be still living with your parents?"

He growled faintly and she easily caught the roll of toilet paper he threw at her. "Just a question!"

Walking back towards the front of the house, she sat at the kitchen table. "So Goku-ojiisan," she began softly right before she started to yell. "WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU MADE THAT DEAL?!"

ChiChi gasped as she covered her mouth in shock. "Pan!"

Goku just calmly set down his fork and spoke. "I told you, he looked as if he was in trouble!"

"He always looks like that," Ranma muttered.

'Did you know that he did the same thing to two other girls?"

"Really?" Goku asked. "Hmm. Which one will Ranma choose..."

ChiChi just gaped. "Goku-sa, you don't care at all? It's like an idiotic competition!"

"If it came down to a spar, Pan would win easily."

"I don't know," Ranma mused. "Ukyou's pretty good and Akane does has superhuman strength after all."

"The one thing that you've got to remember," Goku interrupted, "Is that Pan isn't entirely human like the other two."

"Three," Pan corrected. "There's an Amazon too."

ChiChi sat down hard. "Where did she come in?"

As briefly as possible, Ranma recounted the tale. The look on ChiChi's face grew angrier and angrier until she finally went off. "You are such a ladies man!"

"NANI?!" He shouted.

"I don't want my Pan-chan to be associated with the likes of you! It's bad enough she has eyes for Trunks, but for you as well!"

"Obaasan, please!" Pan cried as she blushed faintly. "This marriage wasn't my idea, remember?"

"But what about Trunks?" Ranma asked slyly.

"What about him?" Goten asked as he approached the table. Each of the participants in the former conversation had all lapsed into silence. "What were you all talking about?"

"Nothing," Pan rose from her chair, "Let's go." She stomped to the front door to get her shoes, Ranma close behind her. Goten followed a little more warily.

"Did one of you make her angry? Her ki is going through the roof!"

Goku began to point enthusiastically at his wife. "It was her. Your mother did it."

"Goku!" She protested at the childish act of tattling.

"Well it's true!" Before she could hit him with the rolling pin that had materialized from thin air, he teleported away. "Ja ne!"

ChiChi growled softly while making her weapon vanish. "That man!"

Goten was halfway out of the kitchen by the time the small conflict was over. "SON GOTEN!"

He turned. "Hai Kaasan?"

She smiled cheerfully. "Be back soon!"

Goten knew then that he would never understand women.

***

"So, where do you want to go Pan?" Goten asked when they were in the air. It was slightly annoying to need to slow down for Ranma though.

His question was met with silence.

Ranma, being the non-observer that he is, began to interrogate her further. Pan's ki rose higher and higher until she just took off at top speed in the direction of a certain Namek's favorite training spot.

"Geez! What's her problem?"

"Ranma, Ranma, Ranma." Goten shook his head in mock sadness. "There's a lot that you need to learn about girls." He smirked. "That's what I'm here for!"

"No thanks," Ranma said almost politely, "I don't want anything to do with 'em! Besides," It was his turn to look like he was revealing a holy secret, "doesn't Trunks have more girls? That's what I've been hearing anyway." Then he began to laugh even as he flew off.

"I'll get you for that!" Goten said as he chased him. He kept at a slow enough speed so as not to pass him.

They flew over rivers, mountains, and a *huge* grassland until they finally made it to where Pan had landed. They found her meditating serenely next to the larger namek, trying to calm herself. He would never admit it openly, but Piccolo liked Pan almost as much as her father.

Ranma gaped openly as he saw Piccolo and the questions followed soon after. "Who is that?!"

Goten laughed slightly. "That's Piccolo-san. He trained my niichan."

Then one eye opened as Gohan's former sensei let them know he sensed them. "Why are you here?" he asked bluntly.

"Nice guy," Ranma said sarcastically. Goten tried to shut him up but it was no use. "He would probably be a *great* friend."

Pan also opened her eyes just in time to see an extremely annoyed Piccolo walk over to the two boys. "Was there something that you wanted? Or am I going to have to shoo you away like a pest?"

Pan just giggled at the development.

"Well, er, Piccolo-san..." Goten trailed off. "It was all Ranma's fault!"

"Nani?! Don't blame this one on me!"

The green giant snorted. "Pan, take your demented ojisan and your rude friend away. I need to train."

Pan opened her mouth to reply but whatever she had to say was drowned out by the sound of a vehicle motor.

Four heads looked up to the sky and one tried to hide.

"It's, it's the girls!" Ranma moaned as he attempted to find a large rock to hide behind. "How did they find us?"

"Bra and Trunks are with them," Pan mentioned. "That's how."

Ranma didn't quite understand the answer but it didn't matter. Glancing around frantically at the scenery, he tired to find a suitable hiding place.

"Give it up man," Goten said. "It's too late."

The capsule car landed and its passengers exited.

"We almost didn't find you," Trunks said, walking up to them. "Your kis were everywhere!"

"That was the idea," Ranma muttered.

"Ran-chan!" Ukyou squealed as she ran up to him. Hugging him hard she spoke. "I'm not mad anymore and I just want to be your friend."

This earned surprised looks from just about everyone there.

"Really?" The pig-tailed boy asked. "Are you for real?"

"Hai!"

"Stop!" Another voice cried. Ranma looked over Ukyou's shoulder.

"Shampoo," he sighed.

"You no touch wo ta aye len!" With that said, out came the bonbori -- two sticks with *very* heavy balls on the ends. Ukyou countered with her spatula and yet another fight began.

"Don't let her get to close Ucchan!" Ranma exclaimed. "She's superhumanly strong. Just like Akane!"

"NANI?!" The girl in the yellow gi cried. "You jerk!" She brought up her fist and punched him in the arm.

Piccolo, in the mean time, had settled back to watch. "Interesting. I was about bored enough to challenge Vegeta to a fight."

Pan shot him a weird look that was pointedly ignored. Shrugging, she started to cheer for a new friend. "Go Ucchan! Kick her ass!"

"Yeah!" Akane added. "She likes Ranma. That makes her an enemy!" Three people, all for Ukyou. Bra and Trunks were going to stay neutral, only watching to gauge fighting styles.

Shampoo jumped high into the air, hoping to strike from above. But the brown-haired girl had anticipated this because she nimbly dodged aside, letting the Amazon hit the ground instead. Spinning quickly on one heel, she brought up the spatula high to gain momentum.

"That's a disadvantage," Pan said to herself, "She has to get enough room to swing the thing." Making a decision she started to shout. "Ukyou! Use the mini ones!"

"That's not going to do it," Ranma protested. "She needs room to throw them. Ucchan! Use your fists!"

"I can't!" Reaching into her gi, she pulled out several small objects. "Flour bomb!" A thick haze of flour rose up from it's confinement and sent Shampoo into a coughing fit. During this Ukyou took off in the other direction to give herself more room. As the air cleared, she readied some of her mini throwing spatulas.

"Bring it on."

Completely focused on her opponent, she never noticed the crowd of yellow ducks descending. Or the cackling of an old woman, or Shampoo's joy. No, she was focused completely on her goal.

Never witnessing the rather unusual arrival of Shampoo's great-grandmother Cologne.

"Great-grandmother!" The girl cried. "You finally come!"

"Yes, child." She took the large walking stick that she always carried and hopped out on it. Noting the large amount of people, she started to introduce herself. "I am Cologne, Shampoo's great-grandmother." She stopped to look at Ranma more closely. "I sense something different about you, boy."

"This is Shampoo future husband!" Shampoo said excitedly. "Meet Ranma Saotome."

"I am *no one's* future husband!" He shouted uselessly. He was ignored.

"You can have him," Pan offered. "Please, take him!"

"Hai!" Akane agreed. "I don't want him either."

"Ran-chan's mine!" Ukyou released a barrage of spatulas in their direction, aiming for Shampoo. In her anger, her aim was a little off though and the weapons went everywhere.

Ducking, Pan and Ranma got out of the way. "Hey!" she yelled. "Watch those things! Do something you idiot!"

Ranma moved in closer and let a complement fly. "Ucchan! I think you're cute when you smile!" That did it.

"Really?" She got little hearts in her eyes. "I love you too!"

"What? I didn't say nothin' like that!" He tried to run from the love crazed teenager. "Help somebody!"

"Are they always like this?" Piccolo asked a nearby person. It just happened to be Goten.

"Yep. Always."

***

By the end of the day, everyone was back to their semi-normal state. Cologne and Shampoo had moved into the building that the former had bought before she came. They named it the Neko Hanten[1] and coincidentally -- or not as the case may be -- it was located across the street from Pan's house.

"They planned that out this way," Ranma moped while tending to the wounds an angry Akane and Pan had inflicted on him. "I know it!"

Ukyou opened a restaurant called Ucchan's also near the Son home. It was about half-way between the Capsule Corporation and the place where Ranma was staying. It also wasn't too far from the school. Akane was the only one still staying with Bulma because her family was too far away to go back to so soon.

"I came here to make Ranma pay," she had said, "and pay he shall. I just have to come up with a good way. That's all."

The evening at the Son house was quieter than normal. As Genma, Videl, and Gohan sipped tea the latter even mentioned how quiet it was.

"RANMA YOU PERVERT!!"

"You spoke too soon Gohan-sa," Videl observed.

"I SAID I WAS SORRY!"

"DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO KNOCK?!" There was a loud crash as some unfortunate object was hurled at Ranma's head. The poor boy ran down the stairs with an enraged Pan hot on his heels. She was clad in only a fuzzy blue bathrobe and matching slippers. Just as she was about to throw a ki blast, her father caught her hand.

"Let me go! I need to kill a pervert!"

"You can fight him," Gohan said soothingly, "but not in the house."

"I can't go outside in a robe!"

"Then let it go until tomorrow."

She nodded and calmed down slightly. "Tomorrow you die Ranma Saotome!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] = Also known as the Cat Café


	7. Chapter 7

Pan got a brochure in the mail the next day. It highlighted a place in detail and it sounded interesting enough that she wanted to go there. But making the trip alone was *not* on her agenda. What better way to become closer than to share the experience with her new friends?

"It's a good way to get some training in a brand new place," she explained. "Sometimes it gets a little boring."

"I understand," Ukyou said. "But it'll be hard to leave my new restaurant."

Pan put one arm around her shoulders and said the one thing that the other girl couldn't refuse:

"It'll help you get strong enough to completely destroy Shampoo..."

Ukyou's face brightened. "I'm in."

The other girl grinned and turned to the last person. "What about you Akane?"

The blue-haired girl thought about it a moment. "Well, I think I'm in the way at Bulma-san's house. I *do* need to be a little stronger to kill Ranma. Okay!" She smiled. "Let's go!"

After packing and clearing it with her parents, Pan and the other girls were on their way. She selected a mini capsule plane and in less than an hour, they were in the air. Videl was the only one who had a problem with it. Since it would slightly interfere with her studies she didn't want her to do it. But Gohan reminded her about saiyans and their training so she had no choice but to give in.

After hugging her daughter so hard that she probably would have broken ribs if she were human, she lectured her on safety, eating correctly, and not talking to strangers -- all things she had learned when she was six.

"I'll be fine Kaasan!" She had assured as she stepped away from the embrace. "I'm not going alone you know. Akane and Ukyou will be with me."

"That *really* sets my mind at ease," Videl had said sarcastically.

Pan remembered all of this as she controlled the plane. On one side the brown-haired girl was reading a manga and on the other, Akane was lifting weights. Both of them were just as excited as Pan was to be going on a training journey.

"So Pan," Ukyou drawled a few hours into their trip. "What do you think of Ranma honey."

The quarter-saiyan snorted. "He's an idiot."

"I agree," Akane said between counts. "A complete and utter jerk. By the way, Pan-chan do you know where you're going?"

"Hai," Pan said with more than a little hostility, "I have a map..." She then looked beside her. "That I left at home!"

"NANI?!" The other two both shouted in unison.

"It's okay. I *do* know that it's in a valley on the other side of this mountain. We can just land and walk the rest of the way."

"Sure." The other two put up their things as Pan tried to find a good place to land.

A few moments later they were on the trail that led up into the mountains. It was rather straight-forward -- no forks or anything -- so they continued their conversation from before.

"Why do *you* like him?" Pan asked Ukyou. "You seem a little obsessive."

"I am not! He's just my best friend from when we were six. We played and sparred together every day until the time he left on that stupid trip. His father got my hopes up when he engaged me to him. I can't believe that man just left me by the side of the road!" She clenched her fist. "I really hate that Genma Saotome!"

"He ruined my life too! Everyone knows Goku-ojiisan is *not* the brightest penny in the fountain. It was pretty easy to trick him. If he had tried the deal with Tousan, this would have *never* happened!"

A sign was coming into view. It's sun, rain, and wind faded surface was almost illegible. All three of them peered at it, trying to read what it said.

"Ju- Jusen.." Pan just gave up, she was straining her eyes. Akane just happened to be the one who 'discovered' what it said.

"Jusenkie! I think that's what it says!" She turned to the other two. "We're almost there!"

Walking on, they started into the valley.

***

"THEY WENT WHERE?!" Ranma asked loudly a few hours after the girls had gone.

Videl paused from where she was putting on her make-up for work. "Some place called Jusenk."

"Did they say 'Jusenkyo'?" Genma asked in a tense voice.

"Hai! That's it. Jusenkyo." She continued what she was doing, not even taking note of the name.

"Oh kami!" Ranma moaned. "They went *there*!"

"What? What's wrong with it?" Gohan asked on his way by.

"Son," Genma began, "how would you like to have a daughter who could change forms?"

That was all it took. Five minutes later, business suits and all, Videl and Gohan took off in a capsule jet for that cursed training ground.

"I'm coming Pan-chan! I'm coming!"

***

The first thing the three noticed at the springs was that they were not alone. In fact, three people -- two of which who were obviously related -- stood there. The third was a small man who looked to be the servant of the other two.

"Sasuke, that is *not* how you carry our luggage!" The girl shouted in a shrill, annoying voice. She wore her hair in one ponytail on the side of her head and was clad in a cyan leotard.

"Will you just drop it onna," her older brother snapped, "I just want to train! Sasuke, move out!"

"Right away Master Kuno. Right away, Mistress Kodachi."

"Oh no!" Akane said as she hit behind Ukyou.

"What? What's wrong?!" Pan asked. When she didn't answer Pan got louder. "WHAT IS IT AKANE!?"

"Akane?" Kuno looked up. "Can it be? Is the fair Akane Tendo on the same ground as thee?"

"What's his problem?" Ukyou asked. She jumped back as he appeared in front of them. Akane dodged aside in an attempt not to get stepped on. "Wow! That was fast!"

Pan circled, looking him over. "Who are you?"

"Who am I?" He exclaimed. "Who am I?!"

"Hai. Who are you?"

"I am the rising star of the kendo world, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High." He raised his bokken high into the air. "I am Kuno Tatewaki, age seventeen."

"And I am the glorious black rose of Saint Hebereke's School for Girls. Kuno Kodachi, age sixteen."

"What egos," Ukyou said to herself.

Pan smirked and began *her* introduction. "Well *I* am the martial arts champion of Orange Star High School. The daughter of Gohan the Wise and the granddaughter of Goku the Slow." Akane and Ukyou snickered at that one. "Son Pan, age sixteen."

"No introduction for me. I'm Kuonji Ukyou. Pan-chan, can we *please* go train?"

"Right." She, Akane, and Ukyou ran off down the path.

"Wait!" Kodachi screamed after them. "Brother dear, they are taking our turn!" But the boy didn't hear her. He was already in hot pursuit of the girls.

"Akane! Come back to me, my love!"

His sister sweatdropped.

***

Ultimately the three girls got there first. "This is it?" Akane asked. "Just some pools of water with bamboo sticking in them?"

Pan and Ukyou shrugged in unison. "We came all this way so let's do it!" They all jumped to the poles.

"Wait ma'ams!" The guide cried as he ran from the hut. "You no do that!" They didn't listen. It seemed Ranma, Genma, and Ryouga's fate was going to repeat itself.

Then Kodachi and Kuno came up to the springs. "You won't take our turn and get away with it!" The younger cried loudly. She also jumped onto one of the poles. Kuno, little hearts in his eyes, followed. Soon it was a free-for-all.

Akane fought of Kuno even as she tried to spar with a Pan who was engaged in battle with Kodachi. Ukyou sort of stood on the sidelines until she got it with Kuno after the Tendo girl gave him an uppercut he wouldn't soon forget. The chef threw him off to the side, directly into a spring.

And so the first curse of the day took place.

Genma, Ranma, Videl, and Gohan ran up the path into the valley. Seeing with their own eyes that it was too late. The Jusenkyo guide was running around screaming at them to please stop the madness and it was chaos on the poles. When the heard the splash, they all flinched. Gohan and Videl prayed to kami that it wasn't their little girl.

"She's okay!" Gohan sighed as he looked on. "Pan come down!"

"Nani?" She asked at the same time Kodachi lunged for her. The punch didn't hurt her too bad but it certainly caught her off guard. She wobbled toward the edge, windmilling her arms.

"Pan!" Videl shouted even as Gohan flew to catch her. At the same instant he took off, Pan grabbed onto Kodachi to keep from falling. The Kuno girl, not going down without taking everyone with her, caused a domino effect that sent everyone towards the water.

Pan, not thinking too clearly, didn't even try to stop herself. She flew into the icy cold water, everyone else into their own separate pool.

"On no!" Videl ran to the edge of the one her daughter fell in. "Pan, are you okay?"

A dark head popped up and Pan coughed up some water. "I'm fine," she said in a hoarse voice. Her mother pulled her out and looked her over.

"You *are* fine!" Videl said in relief as they walked slowly back to the shore. "Nothing happened! I guess those springs are a fake."

Then a *huge* white tiger leapt out of another nearby spring.

"AH!" Ranma screamed in a panic. "NEKO[1]!" He jumped back and climbed onto Genma's head to get out of the way.

Pan looked him over and shook her head. "I'm not even going to ask."

Gohan noticed something different about his daughter. Maybe it was the way her clothes seems a little too small, or the way she held herself. But one thing was certain.

Son Pan was not the same person she was before she had left home.

"I think something *was* in that pool," Gohan said to his family. "Hey mister!" He shouted to the guide. "What do you call the spring my daughter fell in?"

He walked to them. "That one called Nannichuan."

"And that is?" Pan asked.

"Spring of Drowned Young Man. Man drown there one-thousand, three-hundred, seventy-five year ago[2]."

"Ma-Ma-MAN!" She shrieked. She patted herself down. "OH MY KAMI!"

"I have a son!" Videl began to cry as she clutched at Gohan. "Instead of a daughter I now have a son!"

The tiger who was terrorizing Ranma walked over to Pan who absently petted it's head. The large animal purred and almost knocked her down in an attempt to get closer.

"Who are you?" Pan whispered as she crouched down. "Who did you use to be?"

The next person to exit the spring was a vampire bat. It flitted over to Pan and perched on her head. "Am I attracting all of the animals here?" she wondered. That was also when a medium sized haiya dragon[3] and wolf walked up to her. "I'm the only human!"

"That I help," The guide led them to the hut where he kept large amounts of hot water just for such purposes.

***

"When you transform," The guide said, "you have no clothing on." That alone prompted Gohan, Ranma, and Genma to stay outside. Videl took the water from the guide and shoved him away as well.

"Unless you want to be classified as a pervert, you stay outside too." And so she began her task, starting with her daughter.

"Thanks so much Kaasan!" She exhaled. "What a relief."

The next was the tiger. Videl poured a liberal amount of water over it and he became Akane who was crouched on her knees.

"I petted Akane?!" Pan asked. She stared at the finger thrust in her face.

"Don't *ever* mention that again!" Akane said firmly.

Eventually the dragon turned into Ukyou, the wolf into Kodachi, and the bat into an extremely embarrassed Kuno.

"At least I have on clothes," Pan mentioned.

"You pervert!" Akane shouted as she covered herself with one hand and punched Kuno with the other. She knocked him through the wall and on the other side of the valley.

"Remind me never to make that girl mad, okay?" Ukyou asked Pan who giggled in response. Akane calmed down and turned to her friends.

"Let's go back. I have the *perfect* way to get back that that jerk!" She smirked evilly at the chaos to come.

***

"So, you're a boy," Ranma said later that day on the ride home, "Ucchan's a dragon, and Akane's a," he gulped, "a n-neko?"

"Yep!" Pan said. "Actually, being a boy isn't as bad as I thought."

"It's probably because you already act, walk, and talk like one," Videl mentioned.

"Maybe."

"What's so bad about nekos, Ranma," Akane asked in a strange voice.

"Nekos? Uh nothing. Felines are perfectly fine with me!" He laughed nervously. Pan elbowed Ukyou and Akane and told them to watch closely. She leaned close to Ranma's ear and made a loud sound.

"MEOWR!"

"AH! NEKO!" Ranma jumped about two feet and clutched at his father.

"What happened to him?" Videl asked. Then she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I'm sensing that you had something to do with it Genma."

He sighed. "Hai. I did." He produced a book and began to flip through it. "The technique is called 'Neko Ken[4]'. You tie up the person who is to learn the skill with fish sausages and throw them in a pit of hungry cats. Ranma had undergone this when he was six."

"NANI?!" Gohan exclaimed.

"It gets worse. Unfortunately, I failed to read the next page."

Pan took the book from him. "Warning: this training may have psychological side-effects." She raised an eyebrow. "Is that what happened to you Ranma?"

The boy stopped shaking and sat back down in his seat. "It's all the old man's fault! He ruined my life first with that 'Neko Ken' and again at Jusenkyo!"

"I'm sorry boy! I told you that all ready!" He pushed his glasses up onto his nose. "I even tried to cure it."

"How?" Ukyou asked curiously.

"I repeated the process with every kind of meat that I could find[5] but nothing cured it completely. After a prolonged exposure, he becomes completely cat-like. That is when he uses the Neko Ken."

"I don't remember anything after I get snapped out of it," Ranma shook his head, "I really must have screwed up in a past life or something to deserve all these things that happen to me!"

"Calm down," Ukyou smiled, "it's not so bad. You get a sugoi attack and a neat curse. *I*, on the other hand, get transformed into an animal."

"Just write signs like I do," Genma suggested, "There are a lot of advantages as an animal."

"I almost forgot to tell everyone," Gohan spoke up from the pilots chair, "I found out something from the guide before we left. He said the name for the springs had gotten changed to attract tourists he said. No one wanted to come to Jusenkyo anymore since everyone had heard of it one time or another."

"Whatever for?" Videl asked. "Why would someone voluntarily go there to get cursed?"

Gohan shrugged. "He said it was the Jusenkyo Police's decision, not one of his own."

"What an idiotic decision!" Akane snorted. "I'm a tiger because of that! But," She amended, "it does have it's uses." She shot Ranma a meaningful look as she said this.

He gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me!"

"Kids, kids. Calm down!" Videl scolded. "We'll be back in Japan soon and maybe we can find a way for you guys to be normal again."

"I hope so!" Ukyou cried.

"Not me," Akane said.

"Me neither." Pan said as well. "I'm stronger now. I can give Trunks the as-" Her mother shot her a warning look, "*butt* kicking of his lifetime! After Veggie-ojisan of course." She corrected herself.

***

Surprisingly nothing else happened for the better part of the day. Videl made both Pan and Ranma go up to the school to get their homework, but that wasn't so bad. Around seven-thirty at night, when Akane was over talking to Pan, someone knocked at their door.

"It's open Ucchan!" Pan shouted. The person still didn't enter. "I guess it isn't her then." She stood and went to answer it. "Uh konichi-wa?"

"Is Akane Tendo here?" Asked the man at the door. When Pan nodded he brushed past her and went right on inside.

"Well come on in then!" Pan said sarcastically to the empty air. She shut the door and went back into her living room.

"Akane how I've missed you!" The man burst into tears as he hugged the surprised girl tightly.

"Uh Tousan? Why are you here?"

"This is you Tousan?" Pan asked as she sat back down.

"Hai," Akane said as she tried to break his embrace. But grief held it strong. "Can you please let me go? And stop crying like a big baby!"

"My dear, dear Akane!"

"TOUSAN LET ME GO!"

He jumped back at the harsh tone in her voice, sniffling. "You yelled at me," he said in a small voice.

"Gomen," she sighed. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I missed you so much I decided to come to this city."

"That's nice but shouldn't you be getting on back home?"

"I am home!" Soun brightened. "Akane, your sisters and I moved to Satan City to be close to you!"

"You WHAT?!" Her father mistook her exclamation for joy.

"Hai. I moved the dojo here so that I could help the union of you and Ranma. Where is the boy anyhow?"

"Hey short girl!" A voice shouted from upstairs. "Are you going to use the bathroom any time soon? I don't want to be called a pervert again?"

Pan growled at the name Ranma had made up for her. "My name is Pan and no." Then she changed her mind. "Ranma dear! Why don't you come downstairs. Saotome-san, you come too! There's someone here who would like to see you..."

"Saotome," Soun's voice held a warning note, "what is the meaning of this?"

"Now, now Tendo don't get mad but my son's engaged to this girl over here."

"My name is Pan," she said flatly. By this time, her parents had drifted downstairs as well.

"He's what?!" Tendo shouted angrily.

"Tousan, it's not that bad." Akane tried to calm him down. "I don't want to marry that jerk anyway."

"I'm sorry sweetheart but the Anything-Goes Schools of Tendo and Saotome should be joined."

"Why not let Ranma decide who he wants?" Videl asked. "He doesn't have to do it now. They're still young!"

"That's right!" Ranma said, relieved. "But, I wouldn't want an un-cute tomboy and a short quarter-saiyan anyway."

"RANMA YOU JERK!" Akane grabbed the table while Pan grabbed some ki.

"He asked for that one," Genma said as he was attacked from both sides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] = Japanese for cat  
> [2] = I made this up since they never said in the anime  
> [3] = Just think of Gohan's pet dragon, Icarus.  
> [4] = Cat Fist or Cat Fu  
> [5] = I don't remember exactly what he used so just excuse that please.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **example** means that the word between the double asterisks is being spoken in the present during a flashback

A figure ate a small fortune in food at a local restaurant while the owners looked on. They both had yen signs in their eyes at the thought of receiving all of that cash. After the person was through, however, they stood quickly and ran right out of the ramen shop.

"Hey!" The woman cried while waving a skillet at the retreating figure, "Come back here!" But they didn't listen. Just when she was about to go and get the police, her husband stuck his head outside while holding a piece of paper.

"Why honey," the older man said, "he left this note." She snatched it from him and began to read aloud.

"Please charge the food care of Genma Saotome at the Son residence."

***

Whether the citizens of Satan City knew it or not, they were in serious trouble. Or rather the pretty, young female citizens were. There was a man in town that existed just to make lives miserable. A man who existed just to cause trouble, a man who made Kamesennin seem like an angel.

And that man was Happosai.

The small pervert jumped around the street latching on to any of the aforementioned females that he saw. Amid their squeals and shouts of protest, he sighed in utter bliss has he groped for all he was worth. Luckily a sane male came along.

Or rather a female who supposed to be a male.

"What in the world are you doing?" Ranma asked in a disgusted voice. She continued to lick at her ice cream cone all the while.

"Don't you know that this is wrong?" Pan asked.

"Wrong?" He asked jumping off one brunette and aiming for Ranma. She calmly side-stepped to avoid the confrontation. "What's wrong with an old man trying to have fun?"

"Nothing if it's *legal* fun!" Pan grabbed him by the back of the shirt and tossed him aside.

"Why don't you go back to the old folk's home?" Ranma asked, smirking. "I'm sure they miss you there."

Happosai began to sniff. "You are all so mean to me!"

Ranma opened his mouth to say something else when a blur bodily picked him up and ran off. A brief look to his right confirmed that Pan was with him as well.

"Nani? What's goin' on?" he shouted. They ran a little farther, in the general direction of Pan's house. "Where are we goin'?"

As the blur carried them inside the house and shut the door, Genma leaned against it panting. "Don't ever do that boy! Not to the sensei!"

"SENSEI?!" The two asked in unison.

"That old man?" Pan questioned.

'Hai," he grabbed his large backpack. "We must leave now Ranma. I, uh, just remembered I left the stove on back home."

There was a clatter on the front porch and Soun's voice floated inside. "Are you ready Saotome? We have to go before *he* comes!"

"Just a sec!" Was the answer. "Well, are you coming or not?"

"Iie," Ranma shook her head. "I ain't goin' no place else with you Old Man."

"Suit yourself. Just don't come cryin' to me with plans of vengeance." He shouldered his pack, opened the door, and took off.

"Well, that was weird," Pan said as she sat down. The door opened again as if on cue. "I guess I spoke too soon." She rose and left the room to get some water for Ranma.

"What are you two doin' back?" The pig-tailed girl asked in a suspicious voice. She then had to jump back a couple of steps as Genma and Soun were tossed back inside.

"That should teach you for trying to run away," the figure dusted off his hands.

"Sensei!" The both exclaimed. Bowing low, they began to worship him. "We're so sorry!"

"How pathetic," Pan muttered.

Happosai was just about to berate the two men again as he spotted both Ranma -- for a second time -- and Pan. "OOH!"

The quarter saiyan had a split second to blink for Happy was all over her. "AHHH!" She screamed, startled.

The old man rubbed his face against her chest for a few moments more until he just stopped, apparently thinking. Moving fast, he abandoned Pan for the red head nearby. Latching onto her, he squeezed.

"Yeah," he sighed, "now this is what I'm use to. Sorry girl," He said this to Pan. "You just don't have enough."

Trembling with rage for being talked about and for being groped in the first place, Pan brought up a fist. "Why you little--!" But Ranma hit him first.

Dazed, the old man dropped to the ground.

"DIRTY OLD MAN!" she shrieked. Calming slightly she turned to her father. "Can't you keep the perverts to yourself, Pop?" Smirking she turned to Pan and struck a pose. "Sorry but you'll never have a body like mine."

A hard punch to the gut was her answer.

***

A small man crouched outside the sliding glass doors at the Capsule Corporation. He had a handkerchief tied around his face and knotted under his nose in the traditional burglar style and carried a large sack. He peeked inside one last time to make sure that the coast was clear and then he proceeded to pry open the entrance.

Happosai had been enticed to enter this room because he had seen a *very* provocative piece of lingerie lying on the huge bed. Grinning he had leapt to the balcony to swipe it.

Now he entered the large room slowly so as not to alert the owner of his presence.

"OOLONG YOU PERVERT!" Came a shout. Bulma grabbed a book from the bedside table and hit Happy on the head with it. She turned on a nearby lamp and blinked as she noticed who it really was. "Oh. You're not Oolong."

Happosai's eyes lit up as he saw that she was clad in only a thin silk bathrobe. "Pretty lady..." He was practically drooling.

Bulma smiled at being called pretty but it turned into a scowl as the small man didn't stop moving towards her.

"Hold it right there!" shouted another voice. Bulma and Happosai both turned to the source of the sound.

It was none other than Master Roshi similarly dressed. "That's my underwear!"

"Kamesennin, I can't believe you steal lingerie now!" Bulma groaned. She really should have seen it coming. By then both perverted old men were advancing towards her.

"Uh, stop..." she said nervously. But the men were entranced. "STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!" Then they both leapt at her, trying for a grope. "VEGETA!!"

He opened the door, a little annoyed at being summoned. "What is it onna?"

"I have a name you know," she muttered more as a reflex than anything else. "Get these two away from me!"

Vegeta's eyes turned frosty as he focused his gaze on Happy and Roshi.

"Hi!" Roshi said in mock cheer, "How are you this fine day?"

"I'm a little angry," Vegeta spoke in a controlled voice.

"Really?" Happosai questioned. "And why is that?"

"I come to the aid of my mate and find two *idiots* trying to feel her up and steal her underwear!" His glare grew harder. "Wouldn't that anger you as well?"

"Iie!" They said in unison. "Why would it?"

With an animalistic growl, Vegeta picked them both up by their collars and threw them out into the air. He then threw multiple ki-blasts to make sure that they were both dead. "AND STAY THAT WAY!!"

Bulma instantly glomped him in relief. "Oh arigatou Veggie-chan! Ai shiteru!"

He blinked and reddened slightly. "You do know I hate you, right?"

She just hugged him tighter. "Sure do!"

At street level, the two old men picked themselves up from the ground. Happosai shook one small fist at the large building, yelling in a angry voice. "It takes a lot more to kill me!"

Master Roshi shouted something as well. "Yeah! Perverts don't die this easy!" With a nod to each other, both of them collapsed into abused heaps.

***

Ranma and Pan flew in the sky at an easy pace on their way to the other Son house. "So," Pan began, "what do you think happened to that man?"

The boy shrugged. "What do I care? As long as he doesn't try to grab me again this doesn't concern me. Although," he grinned as he remembered the earlier conversation, "you'll never have to worry about it."

Pan growled but didn't say a word. After a short while she smirked and powered up. "Bye now! I hope you have fun trying to find your way home!" She sped off, laughing.

"You uncute midget!" he shouted after her. "I don't want to end up like Ryouga!"

"It's your own fault!" Was her reply as she disappeared out of sight.

Pan flew at that speed for a while, constantly thinking how idiotic and evil the pig-tailed boy was. But the more she thought about it the more she started to feel guilty about what she had done.

'What if he never gets back home? What if he just floats there until he runs out of energy and falls to the ground dying of hunger and thirst? What if a ravenous bird comes and attacks him in mid-air? It'll be all my fault!' Turning she went all the way back.

Ranma was still there when she returned. In fact, he hadn't moved a centimeter. Pan rolled her eyes as she saw this, stopping abruptly. "Well come on!" She shouted. "I don't have all day! I need to spar for at least an hour or two before I have to go home and do my homework."

"You're the one who left me," Ranma said. Pan snorted.

"And *you're* the one who wanted to come in the first place!"

They promptly began to argue even as a sleepy Goten flew up to them. "What's going on?" he asked rubbing his eyes. Her phone call had woken him from an afternoon nap.

"She left me here!" Ranma shouted.

"He insulted me!"

Goten just shook his head. "Are you ready to go Pan-chan?" But neither heard him.

"You started this you jerk!" Pan screamed.

"Me? You're the one who started the whole thing!" Ranma screamed back.

"Wait a minute," Pan held up a hand. "Like I said before, your father started the whole thing by making this deal with my ojiisan."

"You're right," Ranma said slowly, "it *is* his fault!"

"Let's go get him!" They slapped five and flew off toward Pan's house.

Goten blinked at the sight. "What just happened here?"

***

Arriving at Pan's home in record time, the two instantly began to look for Genma Saotome.

"Hey Old Man! Are you here?!" Ranma shouted. For long minutes there wasn't an answer at all. Then they heard a muffled shouting from somewhere in the house.

"Where are you?" Pan asked as they looked around. Several pieces of overturned furniture and messy closets later the duo stopped in front of the hall closet. "He's in here. He has to be." Opening the closet door slowly she gaped at the sight.

Both Soun and Genma were crammed inside the tiny closet, tied and gagged.

"What the heck happened to you two?" Ranma asked peering at them. There was muffled grunting and he removed the socks.

"The master locked us in here!" Genma cried. "Untie me boy."

Smirking he stepped back as Pan pulled Akane's father out. "We're just gonna leave you here."

"Yeah," the short quarter-saiyan agreed. "You need to think about what you've done."

"IIE!" The man squealed. "I'm, uh, claustrophobic!"

"Then close your eyes." Pan started to shut the door again.

"I'm afraid of the dark!"

Pan ran a grabbed a flashlight from her room, turned it on, and stuck it under Genma's arm. "There. You now have light."

"I have to go potty!"

"There's nothin' we can do about that one!" Ranma firmly shut the door and ignored his father's protests. "Tendo-san, what did you guys do to the old goat?"

He shook his head. "All we tried to do was dispose of him. That's a public service that aids everyone in the world!"

"That's true. He *is* an annoyance," Pan mused.

"We tried once before and it sort of backfired..."

~~~

Happosai jumped around a town carrying his bag with ladies underwear falling out. He was closely followed by a panting Genma and Soun -- also carrying bags -- who were being tailed by extremely angry women.

**He had us taking underwear as well and claiming it was all a part of the 'training'. He soon moved on to more horrible things.**

Forming a human step ladder, Genma on the bottom, Soun on his shoulders, and Happy on the top, the pervert peered over the wall of the woman's bath house. A loud scream is heard as they were discovered. Happosai jumped away and everything that had been thrown at him now fell onto his unfortunate pupils.

**He had us help him to peek on naked women. We also stole food and sake[1] for him.**

~~~

"I don't get it," Pan mentioned. "How come you just didn't say no?"

Soun shook his head sadly. "It's not that easy I'm afraid. Even though he doesn't really look like it, Sensei is an incredibly strong foe. Saotome and I just weren't able. Although there *is* a certain way..."

~~~

Keg after keg of sake was drank by Happosai and somehow Soun and Genma kept coming up with more. Finally, after the old man was fast asleep, they tied him up with extra strength rope, threw him down into a cave with dynamite, and moved a huge rock into place. Covering their ears, they waited for the explosion. The vibrations shook that whole side of the mountain as the two partners-in-crime shook hands.

"A job well done Tendo," Genma grinned.

"I could definitely say so Saotome," Soun grinned back. Nodding in a final agreement, they both turned and headed back down the mountain.

~~~

"He survived all of that?!" Ranma asked, shocked.

"Hai. And we used enough explosives to blow a large hole to the center of Mt. Fuji! So you see, we have no idea what can kill him."

"This is really bad," Pan sighed. "I don't want him around me!" She began to go downstairs to get something to eat when a loud noise startled her. Getting into a defensive position automatically, she slowly walked downstairs. "Who's there?"

"It's just me!" Goten shouted as he came inside. "And guess what I saw?" He held up a colorful advertisement for something. Ranma took it from him and began to read.

" 'The 32nd Annual Tenkaichi Budoukai is coming up'." The pig-tailed boy looked up. "What in the world is the Tenkaichi Budoukai?"

"You don't know?!" Pan gasped. "It's a martial arts tournament that's held every three years[2]. *Everyone* competes in this one!"

"Most of us just go to see Tousan and Vegeta-ojisan fight. It's the greatest!" Goten exclaimed.

"Are the martial artists any good?" Ranma asked.

"Sure. There are some that are weak though, but they get wiped out in the early rounds. I think you'll even make it to the semi-finals."

"Who gets to the finals?"

"Well Goku-ojiisan, Goten, Trunks, Bra, if she participates, Veggie-ojisan, Juuhachi-gou--"

"Number eighteen?" he blurted.

"Long story. Anyway, Mr. Buu, Ubuu, and me too. My other ojiisan usually fights the winner. He pays them to loose."

"You're kidding!" Ranma laughed.

Goten shook his head. "Satan-san isn't too strong."

"What about your parents Pan?" Genma asked, his voice muffled.

She shrugged. "My Tousan really should but he wants to live a normal life. My Kaasan too. But Tousan is *really* strong!"

"I can tell..." Ranma muttered.

"You know, I think I can convince them to fight in it! May 7th is still a little while away."

"How did you know that it was on May 7th?" Ranma asked, awed, "Are you psychic?"

She snorted. "Iie. It's just that it has *always* been held on May 7th."

"Oh."

***

Later that week on Saturday, still a whole two weeks before the tournament was scheduled to be held, Pan had Ranma in an extensive training program. When he asked her why, she answered simply.

"You want to get into the finals don't you? You do know that you don't have any chance to win, right? *I* don't even have a chance to win!"

Beginning early in the morning before school started and late into the evening, she pushed his energy and strength to the limits. He just simply marveled at how energetic she always was.

"Saiyan metabolism you know. We can go a while without sleep and fight for hours on end."

"You are so lucky!" he had panted.

They both trained and sparred as hard as they could but they weren't the only ones training...

Somehow they had convinced Gohan to fight even though Videl was still a spectator. He had a lot of catching up to do with his training. He spent his time with Piccolo and his father deep in the mountains. His family rarely saw him at all.

Vegeta made sure to work extra hard on his children. They often left the gravity chamber extra bruised but it didn't matter much to them, as long as they won *something*.

Akane and Ukyou trained together. They weren't up to the accelerated routine of Pan's, seeing as the former never was that serious about her training in the first place, so they went along at a slower pace than the rest.

The funny thing about Soun and Genma was that later on the day the tournament was announced by Goten, they had mysteriously vanished as did Happosai. No one at all knew where they went.

Another person that seemed to be gone was Shampoo. She hadn't been seen in several days. Ukyou and Akane both thought that she was working on some trick to claim Ranma for herself.

No matter what was going on exactly with the others at the moment, they would all soon find out very soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] = Japanese rice wine  
> [2] = I hope that this is correct. By the anime's ages, I know it came a year too early but just pretend that Pan was four when she fought in the 28th, okay?


	9. The Tournament, Part 1

The day of the tournament was a warm one. In fact, *very* warm. The news reporter that morning said the temperature would probably reach the latter seventies (fahrenheit). The sky was a brilliant blue, no cloud in the sky, and a gentle breeze blew softly. It was really more of a beach day than a tournament day but oh well.

Pan and her family were the first to arrive of the group. She and Ranma had fought all morning about who would be defeated first even though he knew Pan had a better shot of winning something. That was just something they did, (almost like Bulma and Vegeta) argue I mean.

Videl kissed Pan and hugged her hard before she departed. She also gave Ranma a hug which surprised everyone. "Do a good job Pan-chan! You too Ranma."

Pan smiled. "I will Kaasan. Cheer for me, okay?"

Gohan pouted slightly and turned to his wife. "Don't I get a kiss for good luck too?"

Videl shook her head. "You don't need it. Besides," She winked. "You'll get much more later on."

This set Pan and Ranma blushing while Gohan coughed. "I don't think that they needed to hear that."

"He's right!" Pan said while Ranma nodded. "We didn't."

Then they all laughed and waved as Videl left for the stands.

"What do we do now?" Ranma asked.

Pan made a face and hit him lightly. "We check in of course. Duh!"

"Pan-chan!" Came a shout from behind her. Bra was running towards them in basically the skimpiest outfit Pan had ever seen. She had on black, skin-tight short shorts and a deep red halter top. Actually, it was more of a sports bra than anything else.

"Jeez B-chan! I think it's okay to wear more ya know!"

She looked at her clothes. "Nani? It's hot!"

Ranma shook his head. "Not *that* hot. Looking at you, someone would think it was 95 or somethin'."

She waved it off as unimportant and asked him a question. "How are you going to fight?"

"Excuse me?" He blinked.

"As a boy or a girl?"

"A boy of course!"

She smirked. "But what if you have to fight a girl? What then?"

He also smirked. "If it's Akane or Pan there won't be any problem. They're almost boys anyway." This earned a punch from the dark haired quarter-saiyan.

"Would you fight me?" She asked.

He frowned. "I don't know. You look pretty fragile." She punched him in the stomach, knocking the wind from him.

"I guess I was wrong," He gasped out while doubled over.

"I'm half-saiyan, baka, and probably stronger than you are."

"Bra Briefs!" Bulma somehow materialized from no where. "What have I told you about that?"

She conjured up an innocent expression. "What do you mean Kaasan?"

"Hitting people weaker than you!"

"Onna leave the child alone. I saw. She was just proving to that boy that she was stronger. No big deal." Vegeta snorted. "Of course my children are stronger."

"Excuse me?" Ranma asked a little embarrassed because he was hurt by a female. "I'm strong too! I'm probably the best!"

"RANMA SAOTOME! PREPARE TO DIE!"

Ranma jumped aside just as a red umbrella hit the stone beside him. He looked up. "You made it in time for the tournament. I'm impressed Ryouga."

"Don't give me that! Because of you, Ranma, I've seen Hell!"

Pan absently counted on her fingers. "And that makes the tenth time you've said that."

Ryouga glared at her and turned away. "I don't remember asking for your opinion."

She shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

"Are we going to stand here all day or are we going to register?" Vegeta asked, characteristically annoyed.

Pan waved her hand towards the tournament officials absently. "Go ahead Veggie-ojisan. I'm not stopping you. I want to wait for the others."

"Fine," He grumbled. "And stop calling me Veggie!"

"Pan-chan!" Goku called as he strode up to them. "Ready?"

"I sure am!"

"Now Pan honey," ChiChi said worriedly. "I don't want you getting hurt..."

"She'll be fine Kaasan," Gohan said assuredly. "Have some faith."

Soon everyone had shown up and the large crowd moved over to the registration booth. The short, bald man looked up and grimaced a little.

"Not you two guys again!" He groaned at Vegeta and Goku. "Please don't damage the ring like last time!"

Ranma blinked and elbowed Pan in the side. "What happened 'last time'?"

She sighed. "Don't ask. It's a--"

"I know," He rolled his eyes. "Long story. With your family and friends, it's always a 'long story'."

She growled slightly but said nothing.

"Mister, I can't vouch for Veggie over here but I know I won't blow up the ring!" Goku gave him his best grin.

"Kakarott..." The other warned.

"Just drop it!" Pan snapped, slightly irritable. "Sign up already!"

"Jeez Pan-chan!" Trunks protested. "Is it that time of the month or something?" She punched him.

"You're just lucky it isn't."

"Guys? Can you calm down? You're attracting attention..." Gohan trailed off.

Goten made a face. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were ashamed of us niichan."

Ranma shook his head. "If I was related to you, I would be."

"Can you keep your idiotic comments to yourself, baka?!" Pan shouted at him.

"ME?! You're the one hittin' everybody! What's *your* problem!"

Her ki rose sharply and hi aura flared up. "I'll take you right here!"

"Pan please!" Gohan snapped in his no-nonsense father voice. "You can save that for later."

"Ranma honey!" Ukyou sang as she glomped him. "I brought you some okonomiyaki."

His eyes lit up. "You did? Thanks Ucchan!"

She stepped back and handed him a box. "Don't mention it."

"It's more than some people do for me..." Pan glared him into silence.

One-by-one everyone who was going to participate signed up and drew numbers until there was about ten minutes remaining. Akane and Shampoo had shown up and were currently glaring at each other, Pan and Bra were talking quietly about who would win, Ranma was doing stretches, Ukyou was worrying whether or not she could fight hand-to-hand good enough, and the rest were trying to find something to occupy the time. After about three minutes, Cologne came to wish Shampoo luck and she brought someone with her.

"Oh yoo hoo! Shampoo!"

The girl looked up and glared. "Why dumb Mousse here?"

"He wanted to see you fight Shampoo."

"Who's that?" Akane asked as the brown-haired boy continued to talk to a wall.

"That annoying boy from China," She snorted. "Idiot really."

"Why are you talkin' to a wall?" Ranma called to him. The boy blinked and pushed his glasses down onto his face. Ukyou's eyes widened when he did.

"Wow! Those are some *huge* glasses! I see why you keep them off."

"Are you the person who rivals me for Shampoo's affection?" He asked Ranma as he looked him over.

Ranma held his head proudly and waved a hand. "The name's Ranma Saotome. Look, I don't want that girl. You can have her."

Shampoo glomped him anyway and smiled. "This Shampoo future husband. Shampoo no want you Mousse."

"I wonder..." Pan said slowly. "Do you ever use personal pronouns?"

She blinked at her. "Shampoo no not what you mean."

"What she means child," Cologne said gently. "Is why don't you use the word 'I' and speak in the first person."

She shrugged. "It habit. You understand Shampoo, yes?"

"Well yeah..." She said as everyone nodded.

"Then Shampoo find no need!"

"You know," Vegeta said suddenly. "I really don't care about you people. You're starting to annoy me!"

Pan smiled at him right before she hugged him. "Aw cheer up Veggie-ojisan!"

The short saiyan colored faintly and froze. "Please let me go."

"Did he just say 'please'?" Goten gasped. "I don't think I heard that right!"

"It's true," Trunks confirmed. "Papa just never says it to anyone other than B-chan and Pan-chan."

Goku spotted them suddenly and grinned. "Group hug!"

"Oh no!" Pan gasped out before she ducked and released Vegeta. She moved quickly so her grandfather only hugged the now extremely annoyed saiyan.

"KAKAROTT LET ME GO NOW!"

"Excuse me," The man at the booth spoke up. "But the tournament is about to begin. All people who are not participating, please clear the area!"

"Goodbye Great-grandma!" Shampoo called back. "Bye Mousse," she added as an afterthought.

"Goodbye Shampoo," He said happily as Cologne dragged him off. "Win something okay!"

"Well I guess this is it," Pan said as she made sure she was ready. Ranma noticed and snickered a bit.

"You sound like you're goin' off to war."

"Oh do I? Have you seen the notice board?"

"No why?"

"It tells who fights who ya know."

He glanced up at it and shrugged. "I'm gonna do fine. I *can't* loose!"

"Whatever," She said as she moved to an area so she could see the matches. "Your call."

***

(Authors note: Here's how I'm going to do this: I'll briefly go through all of the fights until I get to the last twelve matches (24 entrants) and then I'll detail most of them. The ones that don't have people that I'm not sure how they fight (or I really don't remember) I'm going to leave alone. This chapter and the next should be the longest two yet.)

The ring announcer stepped out in front of everyone and spoke. "Welcome to the 32nd Annual Tenkaichi Budoukai! There are a lot of excellent competition here so it should be interesting. Now here are the rules: You can't poke anyone in the eyes, hit below the belt, or bring in any foreign object or weapon. You lose if you: step outside the ring, go down for a ten count, get knocked unconscious, or give up. If you kill your opponent or leave in the middle of the tournament you *will* be disqualified!" Then he stepped away and nodded. "I wish everyone luck and let the tournament begin!"

The Junior Division was held first but it didn't interest Pan at all since no one she knew was participating in it. She just wanted to relieve some of the stress that Ranma had created. The little idiot made her so mad!

Genma and Soun joined up with the group where they were standing. It turned out that they had entered too. Surprising...

"Pop," Ranma said. "you're too old to be fightin' like this."

"Yeah Tousan," Akane agreed. "You are too."

"Don't worry Akane dear. I'm going to do my best. So what if I get beaten in the first round..." He trailed off. "Oh you're right! What am I doing?"

"Tousan," Akane took him aside. "you can do it. Don't listen to me or anyone else."

Soon the first part was over and the main event started. There were tons of matches -- around fifty something people entered -- , some better than others, until only twenty-four people were left (excluding Mr. Satan of course).

There was a break since everyone had been there for around three hours so Goku and everyone used this time to get some lunch. Pan picked the restaurant (an all-you-can-eat buffet), and they were back within the hour after Bulma paid the *huge* bill. It was her treat after all.

The first match was, surprisingly, Goku versus Krillin. The announcer introduced them to everyone who, for the most part, already knew who they were.

Vegeta laughed *very* loudly. "Oh please! This isn't even going to be interesting!"

Pan sighed. "No, it isn't."

"Who's the little short guy?" Ranma asked.

"That's Tousan's best-friend since they were kids," Gohan replied. "I doubt Krillin thinks he can win either. This is more for fun than anything else."

Goku and Krillin faced each other in the ring. Goku smiled brightly and nodded to him.

"Krillin."

"Goku."

Then they got into defensive positions and began.

"Goku, I don't want you to go easy on me," Krillin said while blocking a punch. "I already know that I can't win." He dodged a kick and jumped away.

Goku advanced at a steady pace and just nodded. "I would expect you not to do the same." Then he lunged at him unexpectedly and Krillin almost panicked. Regaining himself, he moved quickly to the right, spun around, and kicked Goku in his back. Then he flipped away to the other side of the ring.

"He's got some moves!" Ukyou commented. "I wonder if he'll teach me..."

"Good shot Krillin!" Goku said but the other frowned.

"That was too easy. Goku! I told you not to do that! Give it your all."

The larger man sighed. "Okay..." He phased out appeared next to Krillin before he could say anything, then he punched him right out of the ring.

The crowd went wild and the announcers voice could be heard over the loudspeaker. "And the winner is.... Son Goku!"

Pan and the others cheered but they knew that it wasn't all that entertaining. The next match proved to be, however, and the participants moved to the ring.

"Our next match will be Piccolo versus Ubuu!"

"Before you ask, Ranma, Goku-ojiisan trained Ubuu. He's pretty nice."

The boy shrugged. "I wasn't." This earned him the third punch for the day.

The match was fast and furious. Each contestant gave it their all but Ubuu proved to be the winner when Piccolo accidentally tripped and fell out of the ring. The crowd cheered for Ubuu but some just shook their heads at the other's fate. When Ubuu came over to where the others were, Pan gave him a big hug.

"That was great! I'm so glad you were next, that first fight bored me."

Ubuu blushed heavily. "It was nothing..."

She released him looked around. "Who's next?"

"Believe it or not, it's Gohan versus Junana-gou."

"Really?!" Pan hugged her father as he went to take his place. "Good luck even though I doubt that you need it."

"Arigatou Pan-chan."

"I didn't know he was going to show up," Goku mused. "Did you Krillin?"

He shook his head. "Juu-chan didn't ever mention it."

"Junana-ojisan just wants the money just like Kaasan," Marron mentioned suddenly. She was so quiet, they did even notice she was there. "With you guys here, we aren't going to win a cent."

"Shh..." Akane hushed them. "The fight's about to start."

Gohan and Junana-gou faced each other in the ring, each looking the other over. Then they both got into defensive positions and the fight began.

It started off with a series of kicks and punches that were easily blocked by Gohan. They traded blows back and forth for a long while before they got into some serious fighting. Then Junana-gou took to the air, flying high above the other.

Pan grinned as she saw this. "And here is where it gets interesting..."

Seventeen powered up even more, smirking as he did so. "Even though I won't win Gohan, I intend to give you a good fight."

Gohan powered up as well, still matching him blow-for-blow. He gave Junana-gou his best smirk and replied. "Good."

Ranma watched this all with wide eyes. It was all so interesting. These people, he knew now, did not play around.

Gohan dodged Junana-gou's punch but caught his arm as it went by. Grabbing him firmly he threw him towards the ground outside of the ring. The crowd went crazy.

"Is he gonna win?" Pan asked. "Is he?!"

But Junana-gou stopped himself an inch from the ground. After that point, the pace picked up a bit.

Ranma, Akane, Ukyou, Ryouga, Shampoo, Genma, and Soun blinked as the two above the ring disappeared from sight.

"Where'd they go?" Ukyou asked in confusion.

"They're still there," Goku responded. "But they're moving too fast for you to see."

"Wow!"

Gohan and Junana-gou still turned it up again. The android to his max and Gohan to the first level of Super Saiyan. Then they just stopped and looked at each other.

"Why his hair blond now?" Shampoo asked suddenly. Without turning her eyes from the match, Pan answered.

"Because Tousan's Super Saiyan."

"Oh. Can you do that too?"

Pan sighed. "Iie not yet. Goku-ojiisan, Vegeta, Trunks, and Goten can." Then she turned her full attention back to the fight.

Gohan and Junana-gou were still going at it. Both were pretty well matched really but that would soon change. Gohan pushed himself to level two -- the lightning bolts sort of startled Akane -- and the other knew he was about to lose. With an elbow to the back, Junana-gou was knocked out of the sky rather violently and onto the ground. Gohan exhaled, his hair going back to it's midnight black and he smiled.

"Good fight Seventeen."

"Hai," He agreed. "Good fight."

The announcer stepped into the ring. "And the winner is... Son Gohan!"

The crowd cheered loudly but ChiChi's rose above all of the others. "That's my boy!" Videl was just as loud.

"Who's next?" He asked after a huge hug from his daughter.

"Me versus Buu," Vegeta answered.

"You'll win, no problem," Bra said.

"Remember that other time you fought him Vegeta? In the 28th?" Goku asked. "He beat you."

"Well not this time!" He rose his ki higher, near the border of Super Saiyan. "I *will* win."

Vegeta was so ticked off that the fight went pretty quickly. He went into Level 3 from the beginning and knocked the other unconscious. Veggie was *not* in a playful mood. He stomped back over to them, a smug smile on his face.

"What did I tell you?"

"Next up is Ryouga Hibiki versus Soun Tendo!" Came the voice.

"If you hurt my Tousan," Akane warned. "I'll break every bone in your body!"

"You better watch out Ryouga," Ranma said not-so-discreetly, "she's the deadliest tomboy I know next to Pan."

"Ranma you jerk!" She shrieked as she pulled out her mallet as Pan pulled out her fist.

Ranma backed up. "Put those things away!"

Goku stepped between the girls and Ranma, effectively shielding him. "Now girls, can you let this go for once?"

The lost-boy just shook his head at the scene as he moved to go into the ring. Soun followed him at a significantly slower pace. They faced each other and Soun gulped nervously.

"Now son," He said, "I know you can win easily. Just go easy on an old man okay?"

"That, sir, will go against my honor." Ryouga responded. "I can't give you special because you're middle-aged! Besides, you shouldn't have entered in the first place."

Two figures in the audience raised an eyebrow at this. "You know," One said the other, "that sounds like something you would say."

'Be quiet Maxwell or you will taste the wrath of justice!"

"Don't you see what I mean?" Duo shook his head and sighed. Wufei would never listen.

Anyway.... back to the tournament. Soun and Ryouga were circling each other, or rather Soun was trying to get away from the boy. Then he lunged and tried to get at least once punch in before he lost when Ryouga hit him and knocked him out.

"What kind of fight was that?" Genma protested. "Bring on the next fight!"

The crowd was protesting too, at the really bad battle. Ryouga just shrugged and went back to the others.

"Nice job bakayaro! You knocked my Tousan out!" Akane yelled at him. She was just about to run to him when she saw him move and try to get up. After about a minute, he looked to be fine.

Pan smiled when she saw who was next. "I finally get a turn! Sugoi!"

"Our next round will be our very own Mr. Satan's granddaughter, Son Pan, versus Marron!" They both went down to the ring, Pan practically running to get there. She held out her hand to Marron, who shook it.

"I hope you remain my friend when I kick your butt," Pan said hopefully.

The blond girl smiled. "Don't worry Pan. I know I can't win." Then they suddenly broke apart and studied each other.

"Believe or not," Krillin said. "Marron's been working extra hard for this tournament. Pan might beat her in a smaller margin."

"But she's good enough to get this far," Piccolo mentioned making the people who can't sense ki jump. They didn't even notice he was there.

Krillin nodded proudly. "She sure is."

Pan and Marron attacked each other fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand. It seemed like Marron was almost as fast as Pan was.

"I thought mini me was supposed to be good," Ranma asked.

"*Pan* is," Gohan responded rolling his eyes at Ranma's little nickname. "But so is Marron."

Eventually it was Pan's stamina that won out. Marron became wearier and wearier until finally when Pan knocked her down she just stayed there.

"And the winner is Son Pan!"

There were tons of cheers for her from her whole entire family and all the friends and the audience as well.

She held a hand down to Marron so that she could get up.

"Domo arigatou!" She hugged her. "This was fun and I needed the fight."

(Sorry minna but at this point, I'm going to skim over the matches unless they're going to be interesting. I'm a little tired of typing so much.)

Next up was Ranma versus his father. It was over quickly and Ranma won. Akane versus Kodachi ended with the Tendo girl as the winner when they had both fell out of the ring and Akane flipped over so that Kodachi touched the ground first and Ukyou versus Yamcha (who didn't want to hit a girl) moved Ucchan up. Shampoo versus Juuhachi-gou was a entirely different story.

Mousse was the loudest cheering person in the whole crowd. He shouted encouragement to his object of affection, love declarations, and "friendly" advice until Shampoo got so irritated she stopped in the middle of the battle.

"Why Mousse no shut up? Shampoo no like you Mousse! You no understand?!"

"I love you Shampoo!" He said, ignoring her declaration. "Marry me!"

Because the Amazon girl's attention was elsewhere, Juuhachi-gou made her move. Shampoo noticed it a bit too late however. Using a kick, Juuhachi-gou knocked Shampoo the ground, winning the match.

"The winner is Juuhachi-gou!"

"You know Mousse," Cologne said after the android was declared the winner. "Shampoo will hate you forever now."

"No!" He wailed. "Please say it isn't so!"

Once Shampoo was up from the ground, she darted into the audience, her bonbori held up. "Mousse! You I kill!"

Goten versus Kuno was next. Since the latter spent most of his time trying to appeal to the ladies and quoting Shakespeare, Goten knocked him unconscious with one blow and walked away. "That was a terrible fight."

Akane had snorted at the match antics. "That's Kuno for you."

Trunks versus Bra was next. Vegeta and the others settled in for a long wait and they weren't disappointed. Trunks didn't even go Super Saiyan for twenty minutes and by that time the crowd was getting restless.

"There should be a time limit on these things!" One man shouted loudly.

"My butt's falling asleep!" A woman complained. The ring announcer heard it all and tried to get them to hurry up some.

"You have ten minutes to finish this!" He shouted to them. Trunks smirked, went Super Saiyan Level 2, and knocked Bra down for a ten count.

"And the winner is Trunks Briefs!"

The first part of the tournament was over, with more up ahead.


	10. The Tournament, Part 2

The first battle of round two was Goku versus Ubuu. They were almost even, neither gained the upper hand for a while until Goku went Super Saiyan Level 3.

Ubuu had kept up with Goku even at the first two levels but three was out of his league. He was knocked outside the ring within three minutes of the transformation.

"Good match sensei," Ubuu said as Goku helped him to his feet.

"Yeah! It was great!"

"I guess Son-san trained him well," Ranma commented.

Pan glanced at him. "Hai."

"Next up is Son Gohan versus Vegeta!"

Pan's attention went straight to her father and the man she called her 'uncle'. "This is gonna be *great*!"

Goten and Trunks nodded in agreement. "Really great!"

Gohan shook his head. "I don't know.... Vegeta *can* beat me."

There was silence.

"Tell me you're joking," Pan demanded.

Gohan shrugged and then smiled. "It's true. I don't mind. I entered for fun anyway and because you wanted me to."

"This is the last call for Son Gohan and Vegeta!"

Gohan smiled again. "Wish me luck guys!"

Pan gave him a brief hug and pushed him towards the ring. "Kick Veggie's butt Tousan!"

The battle was indeed as great as Pan thought it would be. Ignoring the small fact that Vegeta could go to Level 3 and Gohan couldn't and you would have the perfect match. Kicks, punches, and even elbows were traded off at lightning speed, even faster than when Gohan had fought Junana-gou. This went on for almost an hour until the audience became restless.

"Someone lose now!" A man shouted. "We can't even see you guys!"

Gohan knew that if he let Vegeta continue to take the initiative, the fight would go on for centuries. Gohan stopped Vegeta and held up his hands.

"I give up."

Pan's jaw almost hit the ground. "He WHAT?!"

Goku just shook his head. "It was the right thing to do. If they went on, the announcer would probably disqualify both of them."

As they returned to the ground, Gohan gave a promise.

"We'll continue this later."

"Your call."

"Who's next?" Gohan questioned, ignoring his daughter's look. She silently fumed for a moment until she spun and stomped to the ring. Her father sighed. "I guess she is."

"Son Pan versus Ryouga Hibiki!"

"I feel like killing something," Pan snarled at the boy. "How would you like it? Fast or slow?"

Ryouga just smirked. "Killing is against the rules."

"How did you know that I didn't mean later?"

The smirk turned deadly as Ryouga got into a defensive position. "I won't hit you because you're a girl."

"But that won't stop me!" She began to throw a series of punches and kicks, all ones that the boy blocked easily.

"Your rage is making you sloppy."

She growled and charged up a ki blast. "What do you know?!"

Ranma shook his head at the sight. "I wonder what he said to her..."

"He won't attack because she's female and he insulted her." Piccolo responded almost instantly.

Ranma looked at him. "How do you know?"

"My ears are here for a reason." Then to Gohan: "What do you feed that girl?!"

Gohan laughed. "The stubbornness is from Videl but I have no idea where she got the violent tendencies."

Then the answer was unisoned. "ChiChi." Even Genma, Ukyou, and Akane agreed.

They all saw Ryouga say something else and Pan proceed to beat the crap out of him. Every punch or kick he took made them all flinch.

The whole group turned to Piccolo. "What'd he say?!"

Piccolo scowled but he still told them. "He said: 'Is that the best you've got? Ranma could do better than you!'"

Gohan whistled. "That boy asked for that one." Then he saw that even though Ryouga was down for the count, Pan was still beating him. "Excuse me..." Gohan went down there and had to grab her to calm her down. After she had cleared the vicinity, Ryouga was rushed to the medical station.

"She really beat him good!" Ukyou commented.

Pan breathed heavily trying to get her senses back. She blinked then at everyone staring at her, from a pretty large distance.

"It's okay," She said. "I won't bite."

Ranma gazed at her. "I would rather not take the chance."

"You don't have to be afraid of me ya know!"

"The next match is," The announcer shouted, "is Ranma Saotome versus Akane Tendo!"

Akane smiled wickedly as this. "This is great..."

"Wonderful!" He said sarcastically. "I have to fight a tomboy! But even you are a girl. I won't hurt you."

He walked arrogantly to the ring and waited. Akane whispered something to Ukyou and the other girl nodded. It wasn't that fair but it would be funny.

Akane stretched in the ring and prepared to fight the other while Ukyou slipped away to the side of the ring where Akane stood.

"Are you going to fight sometime today?" He asked. "I'm waiting!"

"Sure," She smirked. "Right now..."

Then a splash of water came from seemingly nowhere as Akane transformed into the tiger.

"Oh kami!" Ranma shouted. "NEKO!"

The announcer blinked and whispered to someone beside him. "You going to allow that? Why?"

"Because it looks interesting!" Mr. Satan replied. "That's why."

"Ladies and gentleman!" He said to them as Ukyou returned to the group. "We're going to allow the girl cat to remain in the competition! Proceed with the match!"

Ranma ran around and around the ring, screaming his head off, trying not to get to close. "Get the neko away from me!"

Pan glanced at her friend. "Ucchan? Did you splash Akane."

The brown-haired girl nodded. "Hai. Something wrong?"

Pan sighed happily. "Iie. Not at all."

After about five minutes of this Ranma suddenly stiffened.

"The Neko Ken is taking hold," Genma muttered but Pan heard him.

"It is? I want to see!"

Ranma crouched there on his legs, his hands curled up to him, with the dumbest expression on his face.

He hissed suddenly, back arched, and lunged at the Akane tiger. He held his arms out in front of him like claws and he and the large cat began to slash each other.

"MWROW!"

"This is just too weird..." Goten trailed off. "Too weird."

Ranma was smaller and thus able to dodge all of the tigers attacks. Then he jumped to the edge of the ring and waited patiently for the other. Akane leapt at him expectedly even as he jumped over her head and back into the center of the ring. Akane, however, wasn't quite so lucky. She lost her balance and her forepaws touched the ground.

"She's gonna lose!" Ukyou gasped. "We didn't think that Neko Ken thing was for real!"

"Neither did I," Pan mentioned.

"And the winner is Ranma Saotome!"

The boy just sat there in the ring, licking himself.

"This is bad, *really* bad..." Genma trailed off but Gohan elbowed him to keep going. "Well, there is an old lady who cured Ranma of his cat-like behavior when it happened while he was younger..."

"Great!" Ukyou said. "Let's go get her!"

"There's a small problem..."

"And that would be?" Gohan asked.

"She's dead."

"Oh wonderful! Ran-chan is a *cat*!" Akane rubbed up against her and she nodded. "C'mon, we need to get you some hot water and some clothes."

Pan got an idea and stepped out into the area and kneeled down. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty. Come to Pan-chan."

Ranma mewled enthusiastically and jumped right into her arms. Pan easily carried him back to the others.

"What do we do?" She asked feeling a little sorry that Akane had tricked him like that. She absently petted his head and listened to him purr.

"*We* don't do anything." Genma responded. "He came to *you*, remember?"

Pan looked at everyone helplessly. "I don't know what to do!"

Bra tried to pet Ranma to but he hissed and she jerked his hand away. "Even neko he doesn't like me."

Trunks shook his head. "Whatever you do Pan, you're gonna have to do it quick. Since he won, he'll have to fight again soon."

"I'll try..." She trailed off as she began to talk and coax Ranma from his current state.

Ukyou was up next and was the fight Juuhachi-gou. It was over quickly since Ukyou can't fly or do ki attacks or do well at hand-to-hand. Juu-chan even gave her a hug for effort when it was all over. Goten and Trunks were next, those two like to take a while fighting so it bought her some time.

Then she got an idea. "Sorry Ranma, but I have to do this." Pan made Bra go get a glass of water and she dumped it's entire contents on his head. The shock of the transformation snapped him out of it.

"What's goin' on?" She asked, clearly disoriented. "Why am I all wet? Why are ya holdin' me?"

She dropped her onto the ground. "You went neko on me Ranma."

She groaned as she got up. "I did? What happened?"

"Akane turned into a tiger in the ring and you freaked out..."

"Oh man. I *did* win didn't I?"

Pan nodded. "Hai."

"I knew it! I am the best! Even as a neko I still kick butt!"

She hit her. "Baka."

"Who's up?"

"It's Goten versus Trunks." The looked her over. "Don't you want to change back at all?"

"Oh yeah! That's a good idea..." She looked confused so Pan pointed him in the direction of the bathroom.

"There you go."

In the ring, Trunks used every single trick in the book. He dodged and lured Goten to the area outside of the ring and nothing worked. They were both in Level 2 and neither was gaining the upper hand.

"Just give up Goten!" Trunks told him. "Eventually, you're gonna lose!"

"Your ki may be slightly higher than mine, but it won't make a difference!"

The crowd was getting angry again. It was hour seven since the tournament had begun and there were about three more matches to go.

"End this now! End this now!" A chant begin by a couple of people soon was taken up by the entire crowd.

"END THIS NOW! END THIS NOW!"

Goten was slightly distracted by all of the noise and that proved to be his undoing. Trunks phased out of sight and knocked him out of the sky.

"I'll get you back for this Trunks!"

"Yeah! I won!" Trunks cheered loudly. "Who's the man now?"

"Kakarott, I knew your brat had no chance of beating mine."

"Vegeta, our family will get it's chance to beat yours now."

"Why?"

"I fight you next."

"This is the fight you've been waiting for folks!" The announcer screamed. "The two toughest fighters in the whole competition versus each other in an all-out match! Son Goku versus Vegeta!"

"This is it! The best fight of them all!" Pan jumped up and down in her glee.

"Why are you so excited?" Bra asked in a bored voice. "It's nothing special. They *always* fight!"

"Those are just spars B-chan, this is different."

"How so? Goku-san will just end up winning again."

"You just don't understand the ways of warriors Bra," Trunks explained to her. "Sometimes, I wonder if Kaasan had cheated on Tousan. You don't act like a saiyan at all."

"Except her appetite," Goten snickered.

Bra frowned. "That wasn't at all funny."

Round 3 began with the Goku/Vegeta fight. This one was sort of destined to take all day. But Goku laid down some ground rules at the beginning.

"We have to get this over with quick, no playin' around Veggie. We can do something longer later."

Vegeta shrugged. "Fine with me. Super Saiyan now then?"

"Hai!"

They both turned it up at the same exact instant. The wind picked up and blew harshly around the whole arena and small stones lifted from the ground but as quick as it had began it was over.

But neither stopped there. Goku was the first one to begin but Vegeta had caught up with him soon. Eventually it all stopped at Level 3 and they launched into an all-out attack.

For ten tense minutes they attacked each other, the crowd screaming encouragement (mostly at Goku) and even betting on who would be the winner.

The crowd was yet again getting bored. Around the beginning is when they stopped being able to see the fight and the random flashes at the impact points in the air weren't doing enough. Gohan saw this and made a quick decision. It would make Vegeta mad but oh well.

"TOUSAN! DINNER!"

Goku stopped in mid-attack and knocked Vegeta to the ground outside of the area. His eyes lit up with the proposed meal. "Food?! WOW!" He quickly powered down and practically flew to his son.

Vegeta got up extremely pissed. He hated when that happened. As he rejoined the others he was like a thunder storm. He anger crackled around each other them but it was really centered on Goku and his oldest son.

"And the winner is.... Son Goku!"

"You *lied*?" Goku whined when he discovered the truth.

"Gomen nasai Tousan but the crowd was hating you almost as much as Trunks and Goten."

"I'm thinking Son-san would drop anything and everything for a meal," Akane said dryly.

Pan smirked. "What was your first guess?"

"Pan-chan," Trunks called after looking at the board. "You're up!"

She smiled. "All right! Who do I fight?"

"Ranma."

This stopped her cold. "Excuse me?"

"You heard 'im Mini-me. You're gonna fight me." Ranma smirked. "Unless you're chicken? Don't worry about it too much. I always have that sort of affect on people."

"I am *not* afraid of you bakayaro." Pan hissed. Then she shrugged. "I just don't wanna see you get hurt."

"..... Son Pan versus Ranma Saotome!"

"Oh yeah? Well don't worry because *you'll* be the one in pain."

They both made their way to the ring, both extremely focused on one goal: Winning at any cost.

The lunged at each other then, their hands each grasping the others that put them in a deathlock neither one would give up. If there was only one thing that Pan learned it was that for some reason, Ranma was as strong as she. Surprising.

'I wonder if he's faster than me too?' Pan knew there was only one way to find out. Abandoning her struggle over power, she jumped to the side and attempted to get Ranma in his back. Ranma spun at the same instant to and her punch just met with his arm as he blocked it almost effortlessly.

"Why are you so good?" She asked, thoroughly frustrated. Almost all of her kicks and punches were being blocked but the good thing was, she was blocking his as well. "No one who isn't a saiyan should be able to stand a chance against me!"

"If you were a Super Saiyan, I would lose." Ranma laughed. "Good thing you aren't!"

"RANMA!" Her anger getting the best of her, she leapt at him but a well-timed kick sent her flying away.

"Ryouga was right. When you're angry, you get sloppy. I guess I should make you mad more often."

Pan brought her arms to the side and began to charge up a ki attack. "Kame..."

Ranma smirked. "That won't work. Moko..."

"Hame...."

"Taka...."

"Ha!"

"Bisha!"

The two beams shot out from both Ranma and Pan's hand. Ranma's beam was surprisingly strong and almost overpowered hers immediately.

"I didn't know Ranma could do ki attacks!" Akane said shocked.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about Ranma." Genma mentioned.

Each struggled with their power for a long while. Then Pan put more power into hers and overtook Ranma's Moko Takabisha[1]."

He got hit and went down but only briefly.

"That should- Huh?"

Ranma's face, that had lots of burns had miraculously healed like they were never there.

"I heal fast. So many people beat me, I'm used to it."

"You are unreal!"

"Shall we continue?"

"Sure."

The kicks and punches began again as they both took to the air.

"This is interesting," Gohan said. "Pan isn't winning instantly. I think we've finally found her a boyfriend who isn't afraid of her and can actually match her in a battle!"

"Those kind of mates are rare these days," Vegeta commented.

"Excuse me Son-san."

'"Hai Ukyou?"

"Ran-chan is mine and I'm sure Pan would say the same."

"Okay... sure."

The fight went on and on until Ranma got an idea. He suddenly grabbed Pan's arms and pinned them to the side then he kissed her right on the lips. Pan froze, shocked beyond belief, but the crowd went wild at that.

Then, with a slight nudge, he sent the still stunned girl to the ground declaring him the winner.

Ranma landed and went to help Pan up. She grabbed his hand and pulled him down to her level.

"If you do that again, I will break every bone in your body. Do you got that?"

Ranma gulped. "Uh hai."

"Good." She pushed him away and stood. "I advise you to stay clear of me for a long while."

"That was one of the most entertaining matches I've seen today!" The announcer shouted. "Ranma Saotome is the winner!"

"Someone's going to die soon," Bra mentioned.

"You're probably right." Trunks agreed. "Just imagine what she did to Ryouga and he just insulted her. Ranma put the moves on her!"

"They aren't going to be even able to identify the body later on," Akane said solemnly.

"Thanks a lot. I feel so much better now." Ranma said sarcastically as he joined them. "Actually she let me off with a warning."

Everyone was shocked.

"You're kidding!" Gohan said. "I know my daughter, she wouldn't just do that!"

Ranma blushed slightly. "Okay, so it was more of a death threat."

"Thought so."

"But she can't kill me before I fight again! I'm almost the winner!"

"He's right," Goku said. "He only had to fight one more time before Satan-san."

"He *did* make it to the semi-finals just I like I said." Pan sighed. "I just wish I'd beaten him."

"Up next is Trunks Briefs versus Juuhachi-gou!"

"Beat that android." Vegeta commanded as if it would make a difference.

Marron hugged her mother before she went out into the ring. "I don't think you can win but try your best."

"Such nice encouragement!" Juuhachi-gou said sarcastically. "Anyway, Satan-san paid me to not make it to the finals. Can you believe that?"

Krillin and Marron both nodded. "Hai."

"He knew that since Goku was family, he wouldn't have to pay him off. I doubt this Ranma character could be bribed though."

"I think this is the best tournament yet. Well, since the Majin Buu one and the next one after that." Goku told everyone.

Then Trunks and Juuhachi-gou were called to the ring.

It was over quickly. They fought at maximum power (Trunks didn't go SSJ) for about ten minutes. After that, when Trunks was in Super Saiyan and Juu-chan was knocked down again, she stayed there.

"The winner is Trunks Briefs!"

Mr. Satan was getting worried. He didn't know who was going to win and he had an image to protect after all. If Goku won it would be no problem, if Trunks won he couldn't pay him off because he had more money than Satan did. He had no idea about that dark-haired boy who was afraid of cats but he had the strange feeling that money wouldn't be enough.

"Son Goku has to win!" Satan said firmly. "He just has to!"

Goku was faced with a tough decision. He *really* wanted to go and get something to eat but because there was an uneven number of people left, there would have to be a special match. So Goku did the one thing he could.

He told the announcer that he would drop out.

"That stomach of yours always comes first doesn't it?" Vegeta asked.

He shrugged. "I also didn't think it would be fair to Ranma and Trunks if I stayed in."

Ranma exhaled in a sigh of relief. He would not die that day. Maybe tomorrow, but definitely not today.

"Now it's Trunks Briefs versus Ranma Saotome in one of the last fights of the tournament!" It was 5 o'clock in the evening.

The crowd's reaction at this was nothing short of joyful.

"That's it then boy," Genma sighed. "You're not going to win all of that money."

"Why are you saying that Pop? I can beat that Purple-haired Ladies Man!"

"Uh no, you can't." Bra corrected him.

"Yes I can!" He shouted into her face.

"No you can't!"

"HAI!"

"IIE!"

"HAI!"

"SHUT UP!" Everyone screamed at them except Goku and Gohan.

"Go Ranma. Just fight before I get a headache." Pan shooed him away.

"You're *friend*," He shot Bra a glare. "Is the one who started all of this."

"GO!" She shouted, her aura flashing.

"Yes ma'am."

The fight began without a hitch though it was clear who had the upper hand. Trunks did. Then something caught both of their attention.

"What a haul! What a haul!"

"What the heck is that?!" Ranma asked. Then something floated to him on a breeze. "Pink panties?"

One of those said garments landed on a certain someone's head, blinding him. Ranma wasted no time.

He pushed Trunks as hard as he could. The older boy stumbled a bit, fell backwards, and landed outside of the ring. Unfortunately for him it was at the exact same time that the owners of those panties came stomping through.

"Get that pervert!" One shouted, she had blond hair in pig-tails that almost reached the ground. There were two other girls with her. Another was really tall with brown hair with a dark green hair tie and the third girl also had long blond hair with a red bow. They ran right over Trunks, not seeing him in the anger. Following Happosai who was hopping on things on his way to join that haul with the rest of his stash they exited the area leaving a startled Ranma and bruised Trunks in their wake.

The announcer sweatdropped. "The winner is, uh, Ranma."

The Saotome boy ran to the hurt demi-saiyan. "Trunks? Are you okay man?"

"Did you get the number of that truck?" He asked dazedly. Ranma helped him to his feet, after he removed the frilly lace underwear and tossed them to the side.

Pan ran and hugged Trunks. "Are you okay? I can't believe that pervert hurt you!"

"Hey!" Ranma protested.

"I wasn't talking about you, baka. I meant Happosai!"

Bra casually glanced at the slightly blushing pig-tailed boy. "You can only wonder why he thought you were talking about him."

"Oh will you be quiet."

"You know? I wonder what happened to Ryouga?" Akane asked suddenly. "I haven't seen him since Pan tried to kill him."

***

Ryouga leaned heavily on a large tree branch he was using as a cane. He came up to a house. "Can you tell me how to get to Satan City?"

The woman gaped. "You again?!"

Back to the tournament...

***

"Go beat Satan-san boy!" Genma urged. "I don't even want you to accept his money if he offers it!"

"Unless it's more than he would of gotten if he won, right Saotome?" Soun asked.

"Hai! Uh, no! Not at all!"

Ranma shook his head. "It won't take too long."

"Remember don't hurt him," Goku said. "He is sort of old..."

"No problem Goku." Ranma made his way to the ring.

"And now the final match of all! Satan-san versus Ranma Saotome!"

They met in the center of the ring, and Satan moved into his tricks immediately.

"Son, I'll give you a million yen if you lose this on purpose." Ranma laughed.

"They told me about you, Goten and Pan. They said you would try to do this." He crouched low. "No deal. My honor is at stake here."

"But, but, but," He stuttered.

"But nothin'!" Ranma jumped into the air and executed a flying kick right in the center of Satan's chest. The other went flying all the way to the other side of the arena and hit the wall. He slid down it slowly and sat there, dazed.

"And so it happened again," Goku sighed. "He's the fourth person who's done that to him."

"Oh!" Ucchan gasped. "Is he hurt?"

"No," Pan answered. "He's just fine. But now we have to deal with Ranma's newly inflated ego."

"And the winner of the 32nd Annual Tenkaichi Budoukai is Ranma Saotome!"

The boy in question grinned triumphantly. "I *am* the best!"

"Oh boy," They all muttered.

After it was all over and the whole entire group met up outside, they were discussing the good moments of the day long tournament when they were interrupted by a short girl with bright red hair who pushed her way through as if she was running for her life.

"Gomen! Excuse me! Comin' through!" She darted in-between people and disappeared.

Another girl appeared then. She was short as well but her hair was a deep purple. "Pardon me but did you see a red-haired girl just now?"

Pan pointed her in the right direction.

"Arigatou!" She bowed briefly and took off in hot pursuit. "Shayla-oneesama! WAIT FOR ME!"

Everyone sweatdropped. "I don't think I even want to know..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you get all of the guest appearances? I know the first one was easy, it was Duo Maxwell and Wufei Chang from Gundam Wing! The second one was slightly harder but not that much. It was Usagi (Serena), Minako (Mina), and Makoto (Lita) from Sailor Moon. The last one was probably the toughest. The red-haired girl was Shayla-Shayla and the purple haired one was Alielle and they're both from El Hazard.
> 
> I know some of those fights Ranma won were pretty stupid. I have a reason for that. I wondered what it would be like if someone *other* than Mr. Satan won for a change. And Ranma came to mind. Were these two. chapters funny at all?
> 
> [1] I know Ranma has a ki attack in a movie but I didn't remember what he called it. I hope I got the right attack.


	11. An Unexpected Twist

The day after the tournament was an eventful one. However,that doesn't mean that it was a _good_ day.

And for Ranma,it would be downright _awful_.

               -----------------------------

 

Due to the fact that Ranma won the 32nd Tenkaichi Budoukai,his ego had now soared through the roof. This became apparant when he came downstairs for breakfast that morning.

                 ----------------------------

 

Ranma walked into the kitchen,where the Sons and his father were already seated. Ranma got a shock when he saw just who _else_ was at the table.

"What's that old hentai doin' here?!?" Ranma asked,upon spotting Happosai.

Genma grew furious at this. He grabbed Ranma by the collar and dragged the protesting boy into the living room.

"Pops,what's the big idea?!?"Ranma shouted angrily.

"Shut up,boy!"Genma whispered frantically,"the Master might hear us!"

Ranma snorted."I ain't scared of that fossil! I'm the Tenkaichi Budoukai champion! I can take on anybody!"He said,not bothering to lower his voice.

"Boy! Shut _up_!!!"Genma continued to whisper. He shot a worried glance at the kitchen door.

"Not until you tell me why that old hentai is here!"Ranma was beginning to get cross.

"I'm here to visit one of my old students,"a voice said.

Both Ranma and Genma looked at the source of the voice.

It was Happosai,standing in the kitchen doorway.

He continued," _and_ ,to see my newest student as well,"he shot a look at Ranma that instantly put the pig-tailed martial artist on edge.

"What d'you mean, _new_ student?"

Genma began to laugh nervously and looked anywhere but at Ranma.

Ranma noticed this.

" _Pop_ ,"Ranma said warningly,"what's goin' on? And what exactly do _you_ have to do with it?"

Genma began to sweat."What makes you think that _I_ had anything to do with it?"

Ranma looked at Genma and narrowed his eyes.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't have anything to do with it."

"I...I...I...."Genma stuttered.

By this time,the Sons had also come out of the kitchen and were watching this scene play out.

"Well Oyaji,I'm waiting,"Ranma said,enjoying the sight of his father like this.

Happosai,who couldn't wait a minute longer,decided to explain instead.

"Your father agreed to let me become your new sensei to make up for trapping me under that mountain."

At this revelation,Ranma _exploded_." _What_?!?!?"

Genma began to whimper.

Pan,curious,turned to Happosai.

"Why would you want to train that baka?"She asked.

"Pan!"Her mother scolded.

Gohan looked thoughtful."Yes,Happosai,tell us. You made such a big deal of it over breakfast. Why _do_ you want to train Ranma so much?"

Happosai turned to look at him.

"Who said anything about training the boy? It's not _him_ I care about."

"Then who? And how does it involve Ranma?"

Ranma,who was trying to strangle his otousan while this was going on, stopped when he heard Gohan say his name. He perked up his ears to listen. Genma,knowing that Ranma would be furious when he heard the news,wisely took off out the front door. Nobody noticed him leaving.

"Like I said,"Happosai went on,"it's not the _boy_ I'm interested in. The _girl_ however,I like very much."

Videl looked confused."Girl? What girl?"

Ranma groaned. He had an idea where this was headed.

Sure enough,Happosai pulled out a water bottle and dumped the contents on Ranma's head. Ranma instantly transformed into his female form.

" _This_ girl,"Happosai said happily.

"Why are interested in Ranma's female form?"Gohan asked,confused as well. This time,Pan groaned. Having seen the old hentai in action,she also knew what he was up to and felt sorry for Ranma.

Happosai didn't respond to Gohan. Instead,he jumped on Ranma-chan before she could react and glomped her chest,purring the whole time.

Gohan and Videl looked shocked. Pan looked angry. Ranma,however,went downright _ballistic_.

"You....you....you.....HENTAI!!!!!!!!!!"She yelled loud enough to probably wake the dead. Ranma-chan pulled Happosai off of here,held him in front of her like a football,and kicked him out the still-open door. In her anger,Ranma-chan had put all of her strength into the kick,and therefore the old hentai went sailing over the horizon.

Ranma-chan dusted her hands off and turned to the Sons,and satisfied smirk on her face. They just stared wide-eyed at her.

"What?"She asked.

Pan was the first to regain her voice.

"You really let him have it,"she said,grinning.

Videl was next.

"Yes,Ranma,that was impressive. But,what was that outburst about?"

Ranma-chan growled and narrowed her eyes. "I absolutely _HATE_ hentais."

The 3 Sons just nodded mutely.

"By the way,"she continued,now smiling,"do you happen to have some water heated in the kitchen?"

Gohan finally regained _his_ voice.

"Um,yeah,just use the tea kettle on the stove."

Ranma-chan smiled brightly,"Arigatou!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So,what did ya think? Love,hate,what? Think I got what it takes to continue this fic? (You'd better say yes! ^_^) Anyway,I know that this was a short chapter,but right now I'm testing this story a bit. The next few chapters will be short as well probably. This is because I have to get into the flow of the story.
> 
> Coincidently,I'm gonna stray from the plot for a few chapters to do some character development of my own. I need to get the feel for how the characters will be written,and I need to work that into my own style of writing, which is different from Goku Girl's. Because of this,expect the story to be slightly different from now on,although I'll keep it as similar as I can. As soon as I get used to the feel of the characters,then I promise I'll return to the plot. Bear with me until then,okay?
> 
> Also,some characters may be OOC. This is because I have only seen up to episode 200 of Dragonball Z and I haven't seen any part of Dragonball GT or Ranma 1/2. All I know about them is what I read on the internet.


	12. Big Egos Lead To BIG Trouble

After the incident with Happosai,the Sons and Ranma decided to 

just sit down and enjoy breakfast. Ranma had used the hot water to change himself back into a male and was currently devouring a stack of blueberry pancakes. 

The Sons watched surprised as Ranma packed away enough pancakes to feed a Saiya-jin. Videl was amazed that a human could eat as much as a Saiya-jin,Gohan was amused that Ranma could probably enter an eating contest with Goku and hold his own,and Pan was angry that Ranma was eating so much. This meant that there would be less pancakes for her, 

and she loved her okassan's blueberry pancakes.

Finally,after packing more pancakes than the author of this fic could eat in a year (a/n: 'Course,I don't eat much anyway ^_^),he sat back with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Ahh,that was delicious Son-san. Arigatou!"

Videl smiled at him. Pan just looked annoyed.

"Are you done yet?"She asked irritably.

Ranma smirked,leaned in close to Pan,and responded by belching in her face. Gohan and Videl looked shocked at his behavior,and Pan looked ready to kill.

"Ranma!"Both Gohan and Videl exclaimed.

Pan,however,had something different to say. She leapt out of her chair,

faced him,and began to power up.

Ranma,sensing the danger,leapt out of his chair.

"Uh,ya know,I should really go look for Pops. Gotta make sure he

didn't skip town. Heh heh heh."He took off.

Pan shouted after him."OMAE O KOROSU,KISAMA!!!!!!!"

"PAN!!!!!"Both her parents yelled,shocked at the language she used. 

Pan,however,didn't her them. Ranma,on the other hand,had heard it all,

and flinched as he bolted out the front door. Pan chased after him.

\----------------------------

 

Pan ran around town,looking for Ranma. This time,he had gone too far in her eyes,and she would stop at nothing to kill him. However,in her anger,Pan lost her concentration,and Ranma was able to give her the slip. This only infuriated her more,to the point where not only did she

want Ranma dead,but she was ready to kill the next person that pissed 

her off.

'To think that I actually felt sorry for that prick when

Happosai glomped him. Hah!'

Pan continued her hunt.

\--------------------------

 

Ranma,meanwhile,had wisely hidden himself. While running from Pan,he 

came across Ukyou's okonomiyaki restaurant and had taken refuge there.

Ranma knew that Ukyou would hid him until Pan calmed down,if ever. He

also knew that Ukyou would try to talk Pan out of killing Ranma if she

showed up,and Ranma was positive that Ukyou would be able to do it.

"Here's your okonomiyaki,Ran-chan,"Ukyou said,"I made it extra 

special."She handed the okonomiyaki to him.

Ranma smiled happily."Arigatou,Ucchan."Ukyou beamed. Ranma ate his 

okonomiyaki happily,and then ate the other 5 okonomiyakis that Ukyou 

handed him.(A/n: I know it's weird that Ranma can eat so much 

okonomiyaki after having all those blueberry pancakes,but he worked up

an appetite running from Pan.) After he finished,Ranma sat back and 

gave a sigh of satisfaction. 

"Those were delicious Ucchan!"

Ukyou beamed again."I'm glad you liked them,Ran-chan."

Ranma nodded.

"So,"Ukyou asked,clearing away the dishes,"what brings you here this 

early in the morning?"

Ranma shuddered."Pan,"was all he said.

Ukyou looked confused."What does Pan have to do anything?"

"I sort of pissed her off,and now Pan's trying to kill me."

Ukyou giggled."Oh,Ran-chan,I'm sure she doesn't really want to

kill you."

Ranma looked scared."Oh,yes she does! She shouted "OMAE O KOROSU" at me

and then powered up. She was serious."

Ukyou looked concerned."What happened?"

Ranma was about to tell her when they both heard voices shouting outside.

"RANMA!!! YOU'RE GONNA PAY!!!"

"RANMA!!! OMAE O KOROSU!!!"

"SAOTOME!!! PREPARE TO MEET YOUR MAKER,COWARD!!!"

Ranma blanched and Ukyou sweatdropped.

"What did you do?!?!?"Ukyou asked,staring at Ranma.

Ranma just gulped.

\----------------------

 

*Earlier* 

 

Pan stormed down a street,still not having any luck finding Ranma. She 

was tempted to just blast the entire town to pieces to finish him off, but she would never actually do that.

She turned down another street,hoping to spot the boy,her anger still

clouding her senses. Just as she was about to give up,she heard someone

behind her.

"Pan! Hey,Pan!"

Thinking that it was Ranma coming by to tease her more,Pan whirled

around and swung a ki-powered fist at the person behind her. Her punch

connected with the person's jaw and sent him flying into the alley behind them.

Pan,grinning triumphantly at finally finding her prey,followed him into

the alley. When she reached the person,however,she saw that it wasn't Ranma.

It was her ojisan,Goten.

"Oh Kami! I'm so sorry,Goten! I thought you were that baka,Ranma."

Goten got up and rubbed his jaw.

"And why are you trying to put Ranma in the hospital?"Goten joked,still

looking sore.

Pan's temper flared up again. And as it did,so did her ki. Goten noticed this,

and he tried to calm her down.

"Woah,Panny-chan! Chill!"

Pan powered down.

"Gomen nasai,ojisan." 

Goten smiled at her.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?"

Pan explained what happened over breakfast that morning.

"...And because I was busy trying to catch him,I missed breakfast. I'm

starving!"

Goten felt sorry for Ranma. He knew how dangerous Pan could be when she

missed a meal.

All the same,he couldn't suppress a snicker.

Pan,with her Saiya-jin hearing,heard this and growled dangerously.

Goten regained his composure.

"I'm sorry,Pan,but it is kinda funny."

Pan growled again."You're just as immature as that baka! Now,if only I

knew where he was,"she added as an after-thought.

Goten blinked."What? Can't you sense him at that new okonomiyaki place

downtown?"

Pan looked at him.'Okonomiyaki place? He must mean Ukyou's restaurant!'

She smiled."Thanks Goten!"She took off running down the street.

Goten sweatdropped.'Um,oops? I probably shouldn't have said that' (a/n:ya think,Goten?!?)

Goten just sighed and said a silent prayer for Ranma.

\--------------------------

 

Pan headed towards Ukyou's.'Ranma no baka,you're mine."She smirked evilly.

Ranma would pay. Pan would make sure of that.

\--------------------------

 

Pan was almost at her destination when she heard 2 people talking nearby.

Being curious,she decided to check it out.

She reached the place where they were and hid behind a garbage can.

She peeked above the can and saw that the 2 people were none other than

Akane Tendo and Ryouga Hibiki.

"Um,could you tell me how to get to the Sons' house,Akane-san?"

Akane smiled."Call me Akane-chan,Ryouga-kun."

Ryouga blushed."Um,okay...Akane-chan."

Akane smiled again."Now tell me,why do you want to visit the Sons?"

Ryouga suddenly got angry."I'm gonna teach that coward Ranma a lesson!"

Akane smirked evilly."Why don't we both take care of him? With 

Ranma out of the way,I won't have to worry about 'tousan making me marry him."

Ryouga nodded and smirked back."Yes. Let's go."

Akane nodded this time."Yeah,let's go to the Sons' to kill Ranma!"

Pan decided to make herself known at this point.

"If you wanna kill Ranma,"she said,stepping out from behind the garbage can,"then let me lead you to him."

Pan copied Vegeta's famous smirk (a/n: Now there's a smirk to watch out for! ^_^)

Akane and Ryouga both looked surprised at the sudden appearance of Pan,

but quickly got over it at the promise of finding Ranma.

"What do you mean? Isn't he at your house?"Akane asked.

Pan shook her head."Iie. He's at Ukyou's restaurant."

Ryouga didn't care where Ranma was,just as long as he got to kill him.

"Let's go!"He said.

The 2 girls nodded and the 3 headed off towards Ukyou's.

\------------------------

 

After a few minutes searching,they finally reached the restaurant.

"Ucchan's,"Pan read. She smirked,"he's in here."

"Let's go!"Akane and Ryouga chorused.

"RANMA!!! YOU'RE GONNA PAY!!!"Pan shouted.

"RANMA!!! OMAE O KOROSU!!!"Akane shouted after her.

"SAOTOME!!! PREPARE TO MEET YOUR MAKER,COWARD!!!"Ryouga finished.

The 3 prepared to enter the restaurant.

\------------------------

 

*Present*

 

Ranma turned to Ukyou.

"HELP!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Ranma-kun! Heh heh heh. How's he gonna get outta this mess?
> 
> Will he ever stop pissing people off? (If he values his life,he will. ^_^) 'Till next time,ja ne minna!


	13. More Trouble For Ranma!

Ranma had only a few seconds before the Terror Trio came in to finish him off. In

a flash,he jumped behind the counter and frantically whispered "Hide Me!" to 

Ukyou. She nodded.

\------------------------

 

*Outside*

 

The 3 teens looked at each other. 

"Okay,on the count of 3,we bust in there,jump Ranma,and break every bone in his

body."Pan said,with a feral glint in her eyes,and a deadly smirk on her lips.

The other 2 teens nodded,also smirking.

"1...."Started Akane.

"2...."Continued Ryouga.

"3!"Finished Pan.

The 3 teens rushed into the restaurant.

\------------------------

 

*Inside*

 

The 3 teens looked around in confusion. They were told that Ranma was here,but 

when they looked around,he was nowhere to be seen.

Ukyou,noticing their surprised expressions,smiled to herself. They would never 

find her Ran-chan,and he could slip away quietly without anyone noticing.

"Konnichi wa,ogenki deska?"She asked,hoping to distract them long enough for 

Ranma to get out of the restaurant safely.

"Konnichi wa,Ukyou-san,"Ryouga said,bowing.

"Konnichi wa,Ucchan,"both Pan and Akane said,smiling.

"What brings you here today?"

The 3 teens sat down on stools at the counter.

"We're looking for that baka,Ranma. We heard he was here. Do you know where he

is?"Akane asked,drumming her fingers on the counter.

Ranma,meanwhile,was slowly crawling towards the back exit.

"Iie,I haven't seen him at all today. It's weird,he said he'd stop by. Maybe he

changed his mind?"Ukyou said,playing innocent.

The other 3 bought it.

'Kuso!'Thought Ryouga angrily,"once again that coward has given me the slip!'

"Oh."Pan said,dejected,"well,if he turns up,could you tell him that we were 

looking for him?"

Ukyou smiled."Certainly,Pan-chan. I'll give him the message."

Pan smiled."Domo arigatou,Ucchan."

Akane smiled as well,"arigatou."

Ryouga just nodded his thanks.

"Do Itashimashite,minna."

Pan,Akane,and Ryouga got up to leave.

"Wait!"Ukyou exclaimed,wanting to buy Ranma some more time to get away,"why don't

you have some okonomiyaki before you go? You all look pretty hungry."

In response,3 stomachs growled,Pan's being the loudest because she missed breakfast.

They all blushed sheepishly,Pan,again,being the brightest.

Ukyou looked surprised for a second,then giggled uncontrollably.

"I....I....missed breakfast,"was all Pan said.

Ukyou regained her composure.

"Well then,sit down and I'll make you some okonomiyaki."

The 3 teens sat down and Ukyou started making the okonomiyaki.

\----------------------------

 

*With Ranma*

 

While all this was going on,Ranma was sneaking towards the back exit. He stopped

every few seconds listen to the 4 teens in the dining area,hoping that the 3 who

wanted him dead didn't find him. As he reached the back door,he heard Ukyou 

offering to make the 3 teens some okonomiyaki. This cheered Ranma up. He 

knew that they would be distracted enough for him to get a LONG way away. He

quickly slipped out the back door,tip-toed out of the alley,and then ran for it,

and didn't stop until he was a few blocks away. Then,he slowed down and caught his breath.

'Whew! Domo arigatou,Ucchan! You may have saved my life!' He smiled brightly and took off.

\-----------------------------

 

*1 hour later*

 

Ranma was feeling pretty pleased with himself. He had given the Terror Trio the

slip. He knew that they had either given up and gone home,or,since Pan was one of

the 3 after him,and Ranma knew that she could eat a lot when she was very 

hungry,which he guessed she probably was,they were probably still at Ucchan's. 

Ranma chuckled to himself. He knew that they'd be there for quite some time. Even

when they finished,Ukyou would still find some way to keep them there for at 

least a few minutes more. Yes,Ranma was safe for the day. At least,that's

what he thought anyway. Fate,unfortunately,would not be so kind.

\------------------------------

 

While Ranma was strolling along through Satan City,blissfully unaware of what was

in store for him later on that day,his guess proved to be true. 

Pan,Akane,and Ryouga were still at Ucchan's. And,as Ranma had further 

guessed,Pan was still eating.

The other 3 present could only gape in surprise as Pan ate her 120th okonomiyaki.

They were relieved,however,when she sat back on her stool and announced that she

had finished. Ukyou was easily the most relieved. She didn't think she had the

energy left in her to make another okonomiyaki,and besides,she had run out of 

ingredients. She would have to go to the market as soon as the others had left.

While she was thinking this,the others did,in fact,get up to leave. Ukyou only

had a moment to decide whether to distract them or let them leave. She knew that

the first choice would arose suspicion in the others,and she figured that Ranma

had managed to get a good deal away,so she decided to let them go.

The teens paid for their okonomiyaki,Pan's totalling up quite a sum,and left.

Ukyou watched them leave,then she cleared away the dishes,praying for Ranma's 

safety in the process.

\-----------------------

 

Meanwhile,Ranma was wandering along the streets of Satan City,enjoying the weather.

He turned a corner and saw the giant Capsule Corp. building. Deciding to see if 

Trunks wanted to spar,he knocked on the front door.

Unfortunately for Ranma,and completely OOC for the other person,it was Vegeta that answered the door.

"What do you want,boy?!?"He said,looking at Ranma like he was dog shit,for Vegeta

still hadn't forgiven him for the comment he made when they first met.

Ranma screwed up his courage and told the pissed-off Saiya-jin that he was looking for Trunks.

"Why do you want to see the brat?!?"

"I want to spar with him."

Vegeta eyed Ranma closely. He then nodded to himself.

"You will spar with me,boy."His tone of voice left no room for discussion.

Ranma gulped. He felt that this would be suicide if he did it,but from the look 

on Vegeta's face,he knew that he had no choice.

Ranma followed Vegeta through the house. As they reached the kitchen,they saw

Buruma sitting at the table,drinking a cup of coffee.

"Where do you think you're going?"She asked Vegeta.

He grunted."I'm going out to the GR to spar with this brat,"he said,indicating

Ranma.

Buruma got up."You most certainly will not,"she said angrily.

Vegeta cocked an eyebrow and smirked."Oh? And why not,Onna?"

"I will not have you kill that poor boy!"She shouted at him,remembering his 

dislike of the young martial artist.

'Kill?!?'Ranma paled.'Did she say....kill???' 

Buruma noticed the look on Ranma's face.

"Oh,don't worry dear,"she said kindly,"Vegeta won't kill you. If he does,I'll 

just shut off and dismantle the Gravity Room."She said this to Vegeta as much as Ranma.

'Gravity Room?'Ranma thought,'what's that?'

Vegeta growled."The boy will not die today. Unless,of course,it is through his own stupidity."

Ranma felt his temper rising at this comment.

"Vegeta! I'm warning you!"

"Relax,Onna,if he dies,you can just use the Dragonballs to resurrect him."Vegeta

said,enjoying the anger on his mate's face,and the changing expressions on Ranma's face.

'Dragonball? Ressurect?'Thought Ranma.

"VEGETA!!!"

"Fine,"Vegeta said,wanting to leave so he could get in some training,and get in a

good laugh at Ranma,"you have my word that I won't kill the boy."

Buruma relaxed."You just make sure he doesn't die,"she said,smiling slightly and

sitting back down.

Vegeta led Ranma outside. As he closed the door,however,a nasty thought came to

his mind.

'I said I wouldn't kill the boy,but I never said anything about not roughing him up a bit.'Vegeta smirked evilly,and poor Ranma never even noticed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh,poor Ranma! Wonder what Vegeta's up to! Will Ranma still die, despite Vegeta's promise to Buruma? Find out next time minna! Ja ne!


	14. Ranma Learns Why You Should Never Make Saiya-jins Angry

Ranma walked into the Gravity Room,a huge cloud of dread hanging over him. Vegeta could sense this and he  
smirked.  
'I'll show that boy that nobody,nobody messes with my little princess and gets away with it.'His smirk  
grew wider as he thought of the fun he was going to have with the unfortunate boy. Ranma,picking up on some  
of these feelings,gulped.  
'Crap!'  
\----------------------

Meanwhile,the Terror Trio was still on the prowl. Now that Pan had eaten,she had calmed down a bit and could  
now sense Ranma. Sensing his ki at Capsule Corp.,the girl led Akane and Ryouga to the immense building and   
they arrived there 10 minutes later.  
They knocked on the front door,and Trunks answered.  
"Oh,konnichi wa."The teen said,"what are you three doing here?"  
"We're looking for Ranma-baka,Trunks-kun. Do you know where he is?"  
"Oh yeah. He's in the GR with 'tousan,"the boy sweatdropped,"uh,you'd better hurry up. I don't think 'tousan  
is going to take it easy on Ranma,and he might be in a million pieces by the time you get to him."  
Pan nodded."Arigatou,Trunks-kun."  
"Arigatou,"Akane and Ryouga chorused.  
"Do itashimashite."Trunks replied.  
He closed the door and the Terror Trio headed around back.  
\-----------------------

*In the GR,10 minutes earlier*

Vegeta led Ranma into the huge room and walked straight to the center of it.   
"Uh,nice place ya got here,"Ranma said,trying to strike up a conversation to calm the man down.  
"Shut up and get ready to fight,"Vegeta said,in no mood to make small talk.  
Ranma gulped.  
Vegeta pressed a few buttons on the machine next to him,and Ranma looked at it curiously.  
"What is that?"  
"This is the Gravity Machine. I use it to train. We'll be using it now,too."  
"Oh,that's nice,"said Ranma,not sure he liked the way Vegeta said that last sentence.  
"Hmph. Since you're human,and a child at that,I have it set low."  
"Child! Child! I am not a child!"  
Vegeta nodded approvingly.'So,the boy's got spunk. Maybe there's hope for him yet. Of course,I'm still not  
going to go easy on him.'  
Vegeta turned on the Gravity Machine.  
Instantly,Ranma felt his whole body get heavier. He tried to keep himself standing,but the added weight was   
too much for him,and he fell to the floor.  
"Too much for you,is it boy?"Vegeta said,smirking and looking down at Ranma.  
"What the hell do ya got it set at?!?"  
"50X Chikyuu-sei's gravity."  
"Fifty times?!? Fifty times?!?"  
"You should consider yourself lucky,boy. I normally train at 600X Chikyuu-sei's gravity."  
"NANI?!?"  
"It's true."  
"Are you out of your mind?!?"  
"If it's too much for you,I can always set it down lower,"Vegeta said in a mocking tone.  
Ranma growled. He tried to get up,but just fell down again. Vegeta laughed loudly at him.  
"Don't laugh! I could kick your ass if that baka machine wasn't on!"  
Vegeta raised an eyebrow.  
"Oh,you think so,huh? Well let's just see."He smirked wickedly.  
Vegeta went over to the Gravity Machine and turned it off. Ranma felt a sense of relief when he could stand up  
again,but that quickly faded away when he saw the look on Vegeta's face.  
'Um,why do I think that I'm screwed?'  
\----------------------------

*Present*

The Terror Trio approached the GR and checked to see if the Gravity Machine was on. Seeing that it was off,  
they opened the door. The sight that met their eyes caused them all to burst out laughing.  
\----------------------------

Ranma was running around the GR,screaming at the top of his lungs,while Vegeta threw powerful ki blasts at   
him. Luckily for Ranma,the blasts kept missing,and instead were absorbed into the walls and floor.  
What Ranma didn't know,however,was that Vegeta wasn't trying to hit him,just scare him,otherwise he   
would have already been killed by one of those blasts.  
The Terror Trio noticed this,and that's why they were laughing. Ranma,hearing their laughter,skidded to a stop  
and fell on his butt.  
"What the Hell's so funny anyway?!?"He said,not noticing who he was talking to.  
"I think it's funny you're getting what you deserve,Ranma-baka,"Pan said. Vegeta,meanwhile,was just leaning  
against the wall,having decided to see how this turns out.  
"Why you...."Ranma shouted angrily,before he finally noticed who was standing in the doorway.  
'Oh.....DAMN!!! I am so screwed!'Ranma paled considerably.  
Vegeta,deciding that he had let this go on long enough,and wanting to teach Ranma to watch his mouth,charged  
at the boy. He wasn't going to kill him,just seriously hurt him.  
Unfortunately for Ranma,Pan also decided to strike Ranma at this exact moment. With a shout of"Shi ne!"  
she flew at him.   
Neither noticed the other.  
\-----------------------------

Ranma's last thought was'CRAP!!!',then unconsciousness claimed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG!!! Poor Ranma! What's gonna happen to him? Is he gonna be okay? Find out next time. Ja ne minna.


	15. A Change of Heart pt.1

The boy didn't know where he was,or how he got there,but he liked it.

He was in a void of some sort,except he could see an occasional blur of color,and could hear something indistinguishable near him.

The boy sighed contentedly. It was nice here. Here he didn't have to worry about the insanity of his life.

Here he could just relax.

\--------------------------

 

"Boy! Boy! Wake up!"

Ranma could feel someone shaking him,so he slowly opened his eyes.

He could see Genma,Gohan,and Videl standing around him,looking anxious.

'Aw,damn....'Ranma thought,'it was only a dream.'

"Thank goodness you're okay."Videl said,"we were so worried that you would die."

Gohan smiled,relieved.

Ranma looked around and saw that he was on the couch in Gohan and Videl's living room.

"Hey,how'd I get here? And how come I ain't dead?"

Gohan cleared his throat."I brought you here."

Ranma stared."But why ain't I dead?"

Genma punched Ranma in the arm.

"Boy!"He said furiously,"show some respect! Aren't you even going to thank Gohan?!?"

"Pop! Would ya lay off?!? I'm trying to ask Gohan a question here!"

Videl noticed that the 2 were getting ready to start fighting,so she decided to intervene.

"Excuse me,Genma?"She asked.

He looked up.

"Your supper is ready in the kitchen."

Genma debated whether to eat or continue to yell at Ranma. He decided his hunger was more important.

Genma followed Videl into the kitchen.

Ranma watched them leave,then turned to Gohan.

"What did Pops mean when he said that I should thank you?"

"Well,I saved your life."

"Honto? How?"

"Well..."

\--------------------------

 

*Flashback*

 

Son Gohan was sitting in his living room,reading,when he heard a knock at the door.

When Gohan got up and answered the door,he saw a very out-of-breath Ukyou Kuonji.

"Ukyou!"He exclaimed,surprised."What are you doing here?"

"I think Ranchan's in trouble!"She exclaimed frantically.

"What makes you say that?"Gohan asked,concerned.

"Pan,Akane,and Ryouga are after him,and I think that they may try to kill him!"

Gohan smiled reassuringly."Don't worry. Ranma will be able to handle Akane and Ryouga,and I'm sure that Pan wouldn't _really_ try to kill him."

"But they all seemed really pissed! _Especially_ Pan!"Ukyou protested.

Gohan continued to smile reassuringly."If you're really so worried about Ranma,then I'll go and check up on him for you."

Ukyou brightened."You would? Domo arigatou!"

Gohan led Ukyou to the couch.

"Why don't you wait right here until I come back?"

Ukyou nodded and sat down.

Gohan concentrated on Ranma's ki and felt it arrive at Capsule Corp.

"Okay,I know where he is. I'll be back soon."He said,before closing the door and taking off into the sky.

\--------------------------

 

While flying towards Capsule Corp.,he felt Vegeta's ki near Ranma,and he could feel his daughter and 2 others approach the area.

'Uh oh,'he thought,'maybe Ukyou had a reason to be worried.'He flew faster.

\--------------------------

 

Gohan arrived at Capsule Corp. and immediately went around back to where the GR was.

He ran inside just in time to see both Pan and Vegeta about to attack Ranma,who was too shocked to move.

Gohan rushed forward and was able to deflect Pan's attack,but Ranma was still hit by Vegeta's.

 

 

*End Flashback*

\--------------------------

 

Ranma paled when he heard this,and it took him a few seconds to find his voice.

"Um...what happened next?"He asked quietly,not knowing whether or not he wanted to hear the answer.

"Well,you were injured pretty badly."Gohan sighed,pushing up his glasses.

"How badly?"Ranma squeaked.

"Your ribs were broken and one had punctured your left lung. Luckily,Vegeta was holding back his strength.

If he hadn't,you'd be dead right now."

'Yeah, _real_ lucky,'Ranma thought bitterly."But how come I ain't hurt anymore? I heal fast,but not _that_ fast."Ranma asked curiously.

"Vegeta keeps some senzu beans in the GR,so I got 1 and gave it to you."

Ranma smiled."Well Pops was right then. Domo arigatou Gohan-san."

"Do itashimashite."Gohan replied.

"Where are Ucchan and *gulp* Pan and Vegeta?"

"Ukyou is upstairs in your room really upset.

"As for Pan,she's in her room right now,grounded for trying to attack you. And Vegeta is probably still being yelled at by Buruma."Gohan chuckled a bit at that.

Ranma stood up."I'm gonna go upstairs and talk to Ucchan,let her know I'm okay."

Gohan nodded."When you're done,come down for supper."

"Okay."

\---------------------------

 

*Meanwhile*

 

Genma and Videl were in the kitchen. Videl was working on supper,while Genma was sitting down at the table.

"So,where's my supper?"Genma asked.

"It's not ready yet,"Videl replied.

"What?!? You told me it was done!"

Videl turned around."I lied."

Genma grumbled."Why _did_ you call me into the kitchen then?"He asked suspiciously.

"To ask you something."Videl replied.

"What?"

"Why were you so mean to Ranma? You should be relieved that he's okay!"Videl said sternly,crossing her arms.

Genma sighed."Do you really want to know the truth?"He asked tiredly.

Videl nodded.

"I _am_ relieved that he's okay. And I was worried sick when I found out what had happened to him."

"Then why didn't you tell _Ranma_ that?"Videl pressed.

Genma sighed again."Because I want the boy to grow up to be a 'man amongst men',that's why."

"That still doesn't explain why you're so hard on him."

"If I'm not tough with the boy,then he may become spoiled and lazy. I don't want my son to turn out like that."

"You could at least show _some_ kindness to him."Videl countered."If you keep this up,you'll eventually push him away forever."

"That's the point. I don't _want_ him to be close to me."

"Why not?"Videl asked,confused.

"If Ranma gets really close to me,then he might become dependant on me."

"So?"

"Well,I've done some pretty idiotic things in my life. I admit it.

"And if Ranma were to become dependant on me,and 1 of the numerous enemies I've made in my life comes after me,what would happen to the boy then if I died? How hard would he take it?

"That's why I don't want him to be really close to me. I want him to be independant. This way,if something _does_ happen to me,he'll be able to handle it better."

"Woah,"Videl said quietly."I never realized."

Genma laughed bitterly."Yeah,well I don't exactly show it,do I?"

"No...you don't,"Videl reluctantly admitted.

"See? All through Ranma's life I've been a total prick to him."

"Why?"Videl asked.

"Because I'm a goddamn idiot,that's why!"Genma shouted. He then calmed down.

"Gomen,but it's true. I was too stupid to realize that all the things I was doing to 'help' Ranma were only hurting him."

"Like what?"Videl asked,though she suspected the answer.

"The Neko-ken,first of all. I thought I was giving Ranma a powerful technique. I didn't realize what it would do to him.

"Then there was Juskenyou. What the Hell was I thinking?!? I didn't know Chinese,yet I took him there. I even ignored the guide's warning,thinking that he didn't know anything. The truth is, _I'm_ the one that doesn't know anything.

"There's also the whole fianc�e thing. Yet another example of my stupidity at work. Even though I was drunk,I still shouldn't have made the engagement agreement with Soun. And I shouldn't have cheated Ukyou and her father like I did. And as for Shampoo,well it's true that it was a total mistake,but that mistake shouldn't have happened. I should have asked who the food belonged to before I dug in.

"Finally,there's all the other rotten stuff I did to him over the years."

"If you felt like this,why didn't you say anything before now?"Videl asked,beginning to see Genma in a new light.

"I guess I never really realized it before now. I mean,I always knew it deep down,but I never admitted it to myself before."

"What changed?"Videl asked,already knowing his answer.

"Well,when I found out how Ranma almost died,it made me realize how I felt,and how I would feel if something happened to him."

"How would you feel?"Videl began to feel like she was playing 20 Questions.

"Horrible. I'd be devestated,probably. After all,Ranma _is_ my only child. And...well...I love him."

Videl smiled."That's wonderful! But you should really tell Ranma this,not me."

Genma shook his head."I'd just screw it up."He said,standing up.

"I'm going back into the living room. Will you tell me when supper is _really_ done?"

Videl laughed."Sure. It will only take a few more minutes anyway."

Genma left.

When he was gone,Videl took something out of her pocket.

'Sorry Genma,but I _really_ think that Ranma needs to hear this,'she thought,turning off the tape recorder.

\---------------------------

 

*In Ranma's room*

 

Ukyou was sitting on Ranma's bed,crying her eyes out while clutching a pillow to her chest. She heard a knock at the door and looked up.

"Come in,"she said a bit shakily.

The door opened to reveal a very welcome sight to Ukyou's eyes.

"Ranchan!"She exclaimed happily."You're okay!"

Ukyou laughed with relief,dropped the pillow,and ran over and hugged Ranma.

"Yep! Never felt better."Ranma said,hugging her back.

"Oh Ranchan! I was so worried about you! When Gohan brought you in,I thought.....well,I thought.....oh Ranma!"She said,burying her head in the crook of his neck and shaking with sobs.

Ranma rubbed Ukyou's back in a soothing gesture.

"Shhh....."he whispered gently,"I'm okay now. Gohan fixed me up."

"What happened to Pan,Akane,Ryouga,and Vegeta?"Ukyou's muffled voice came from Ranma's shirt collar.

"How did you know that Vegeta was involved?"Ranma asked,confused.

"When Gohan brought you in,he told me what had happened."

"Oh. Well Pan is in her room,grounded,and Vegeta is being yelled at by Buruma."

"Ah. And what about Akane and Ryouga?"Ukyou asked,lifting her head.

"I'm not sure. Akane's probably at her house,and knowing Ryouga,he's halfway around the world by now."Ranma smiled a bit a that,but then noticed Ukyou's sad expression.

"What's wrong?"He asked,alarmed. What else could be upsetting Ukyou?

"It's my fault!"Ukyou exclaimed,tears pouring down her face."It's all my fault!"

"What is?"Ranma asked,not having a clue what Ukyou was talking about.

"You nearly being killed!"Ukyou was becoming hysterical at this point.

"How's that your fault? You didn't tell the Terror Trio where I was,you didn't even know! And what happened with Vegeta had nothing to do with you at all!"

"True..."Ukyou reluctantly admitted,"but I should have been able to stall Pan,Akane,and Ryouga longer. Then maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"Don't think that Ucchan. It _wasn't_ your fault at all.

"In fact,if it wasn't for you getting Gohan,then I'd be dead right now. Arigatou Ucchan,you saved my life."

"Ranchan,you're so sweet,"Ukyou said,smiling.

She then leaned in and lightly kissed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooh....major cliffy. Evil,ain't I? Heh. Anyway,Ranma's alive! Yay! And who knew that Genma really felt like that? Shocker,ne?  
> And what'll Ranma say when Videl gives him the tape?  
> Oh,and if you think this is a RanmaXUkyou,well,I can honestly tell you I'm not sure yet. It could also be RanmaXPan,but those are the only 2. Sorry to any fans of the other pairings,but I'm a RanmaXUkyou fan myself. Although I also like the idea of a RanmaXPan pairing.   
> But I have nothing against Akane or Shampoo,so don't get any wrong ideas.  
> Ja ne minna!


End file.
